Farmers offered guide to handling waste plastics

The guidance comes from the government-funded Agricultural Waste Plastics Collection and Recovery Programme, set up to help develop producer responsibility for agricultural non-packaging plastics.

Aiming ultimately to encourage the majority of all farm plastics to be collected and recovered, the programme hopes the new guidance will show which measures farmers should be looking at to comply with forthcoming new regulations on farm waste.

These regulations are not likely to emerge before next year, but the guidance shows farmers how to look to the future in recycling waste plastics to avoid sending them to landfill.

“Vital”

Joan Ruddock, environment minister with responsibility for waste and recycling, explained: “Farmers have a vital role to play in reducing waste by increasing the amount they recycle. It is essential that government works in partnership with farmers to provide them with guidance on how best to do this.

“The Good Practice guide for Waste Plastics collection and recovery offers practical advice on the best ways of managing plastics to increase the amount collected and recycled.

“I recognise that Government also needs to reduce the bureaucratic burden for farmers who at present are responsible for the disposal of their plastics and that is why we are currently developing a range of proposals for a new Producer Responsibility scheme. We will consult on the scheme in the New Year,” Mrs Ruddock said.

A 2-page summary leaflet and a more detailed 4-page guidance note can be downloaded from the Programme's website: www.agwasteplastics.org.uk.