FARMERS are to be given the option of recycling unsightly plastic from silage pits and bales rather than causing damage to the environment by burning or burying the waste.
Farm Relief Services has launched a farm plastics collection and recycling service, which aims to reduce the amount of plastic sheeting littering rural areas.
Thousands of tons of plastic wrapping are used on most farms where silage is being made. Up to now there has been no way of disposing of it other than burning or burying, both damaging to the environment. And last year, silage wrapping was partly blamed for clogging underground rivers which led to serious flood around Gort, Co Galway.
Farm Relief Services has entered into a franchise agreement with the UK based firm, Farm Film Producers Group.
This non profit making company was formed by plastic manufacturers and importers, under the auspices of the Packaging and Industrial Films Association, to recycle its owe products.
The Irish scheme has the cooperation of the Irish Plastics Industry Association and will be financed through the sale of farm plastic.
Mr Jim Maguire, chairman of Farm Relief Services, said a pilot scheme would be set up to see how the scheme works.
He said that farmers were becoming more sensitive to environmental issues, especially because of the demands being put on them by EU schemes such as the Rural Environment Protection Scheme.
Details of collection points will be announced shortly.