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Technical note (TN724): Minimising Plastic Waste on farms

Minimising Plastic Waste on Farm – Reduce, Reuse & Recycle

This technical note seeks to provide advice to farmers and crofters to help minimise the production of waste plastic on farm.

Summary

  • The ban on burning waste plastic on farm came into effect on 1st January 2019, which is forcing farmers and crofters to seek other ways to dispose of their waste plastics.
  • Farmers and Crofters are encouraged to follow a mantra of Reduce, Reuse & Recycle to minimise the waste plastic use on farm.
  • Practical suggestions to reduce plastics are provided for both arable and livestock farms, with emphasis on collaboration with neighbours to enable bulk purchasing or reduce costs of disposal of plastics.
  • Separating waste plastics is recommended to enable easier recycling of different plastics.
  • Alternative markets for utilising waste plastics are in early development, such as energy from waste facilities and oil from plastic, but may offer different outlets from traditional waste handling companies to farmers and crofters.
  • Minimising the contamination of farm plastic is essential, cleaner plastic is much easier and cheaper to recycle.

Read TN724: Minimising Plastic Waste on farms

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