By Faridat Salifu
A fresh wave of regulatory enforcement aimed at stifling Ireland’s illicit farm plastics trade is coming with a steeper price tag for growers—especially those unable to produce the new six-digit label codes required for every bale of silage wrap.
From this year, the Irish Farm Film Producers Group (IFFPG) has doubled its penalties for non-compliance: any farmer who fails to present valid label codes at bring-centres will now face a disposal charge of €120 per half-tonne—up from the standard €60—effectively punishing missing paperwork as harshly as excess waste.
At approved drop-off points, the baseline rate itself has risen to €60 per half-tonne (up €10 from 2024’s €50), building on a steady climb from €35 in 2023.
“The six-digit codes are our frontline defence against illegal dumping and unauthorised re-use,” said an IFFPG spokesperson. “But we acknowledge that not every farmer sources film directly—many rely on silage contractors, and the codes can get lost in the hand-off.”
Indeed, in a parliamentary response last month, TD Sean Canney of Galway East warned that contractors often bundle plastics into their service fees, leaving farmers unaware of labelling requirements until they’re billed.
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Under the Waste Management (Farm Plastics) Regulations 2001, producers and importers must fund either a deposit-refund scheme or join an approved compliance program like IFFPG’s.
While the recycling levy on companies placing films on the Irish market remains steady at €286 per tonne, rising collection fees and harsh penalties could strain family farms already grappling with tight margins.
Farmers opting for on-farm collection will still pay a minimum €120 call-out for the first half-tonne, with the first full tonne set at €200 and each additional tonne also €200.
IFFPG executives say the model ensures a predictable revenue stream to cover the costs of sorting, baling, and exporting contaminated plastics for recycling abroad.
Minister for the Environment Darragh O’Brien emphasised that his role is limited to oversight of the scheme’s compliance with extended-producer-responsibility laws.
“IFFPG operates under the guidance of a board that includes farmer representatives,” he told the Dáil. “Their new measures aim to secure a fair and sustainable financial basis for recovery operations.”
As labelling enforcement takes effect, the challenge will be balancing the urgent need to curtail illegal waste flows with the financial and administrative burdens placed on the very farmers the regulations intend to protect.
