Eamonn Nolan Farm Plastics Collection has been collecting and recycling all forms of farm plastic, silage wrap, silage pit covers, chemical containers, netting, twine, fertiliser and feed bags in the South-East region since 2000.
A suckler beef farmer based in Gowran, Co. Kilkenny, Eamonn is contracted by the IFFPG (Irish Farm Film Producers Group) to collect and recycle farm plastics in counties Kilkenny, Wexford, Carlow and Wicklow. Since last October, he has also provided a tyre collection and recycling service to retailers throughout Leinster.
The IFFPG is Ireland’s only Government licensed recycling compliance scheme which is responsible for providing an efficient and cost-effective farm plastics recycling service to farmers nationwide. As one of only six approved IFFPG contractors, Eamonn Nolan Farm Plastics Collection (formerly known as CTB Recycling) collects both at the farmyard and at designated bring centres.
The IFFPG is committed to ensuring that the national recycling targets set out by the Government are exceeded. This is achieved by operating approximately 235 bring centres as well as providing a farmyard collection service. The IFFPG is currently recycling in excess of 25,000 tonnes of farm plastics annually, which equates to a national recycling rate of 71 per cent. The scheme is “not for profit” and is funded through a levy that is charged to members. Additional funding is received through a weight-based collection charge that farmers pay.
The enforcement of the Farm Plastics Regulations is the responsibility of local authorities through their waste enforcement officers. IFFPG assists the efforts of local authorities through the activities of its Compliance Officer.
There are a number of very good reasons why farmers should recycle their farm plastics. It’s the most cost-effective and convenient means of managing your plastics, with the average farmer being only six miles from his local bring centre. There are also cross compliance advantages and, of course, it’s the most environmentally friendly means of managing your farm plastics waste.
“The vast majority of farmers are now compliant with the farm plastics recycling scheme. You rarely see illegal farmyard burning anymore,” Eamonn says.
“We’ve been working on behalf of the IFFPG since they started and are also a registered Repak ELT collector. We collect both at the farmyard and at designated bring centres in the South-East. We’ll take any type of plastic, netting or twine and also provide a scrap collection service for farmers. Every year we’re getting busier.”
Farmers are charged for silage plastics by weight at collections. The collection charge that applies at bring centres is €30 a tonne, while it costs €80 a tonne to have plastics collected from the farm, or a minimum of €40 for 500kg, which equates to over 2,000 wraps. According to Eamonn, whose customers include dairy farmers, beef farmers and horse trainers, the average collection weight is 800kg.
There is a reduced collection rate for farmers who keep the six-digit label code they received on their receipt / invoice when purchasing their farm film. Farmers should present their silage plastics loose, clean and dry for recycling. In the case of non-silage plastics (fertiliser and meal bags, drums and netting), they should be segregated by plastic type, bagged and presented for recycling. In the case of bulk fertiliser bags, it is very important the inner liners are removed and bagged separately, while in the case of drums, it’s essential that they are triple-rinsed.
IFFPG contractors such as Eamonn Nolan Farm Plastics Collection have their trucks fitted with sophisticated weight cell equipment which is used at farmyards to accurately weigh the plastic and charge the farmer accordingly. The contractors weigh plastic at bring centres on static weigh bridges (where they exist) and mobile weigh bridges. Once the plastic is collected, it is baled up for shipping and is recycled into refuse sacks, piping, damp proofing products and even garden furniture.
“The plastic is brought back to our Gowran facility for sorting and baling. Each bale weighs 750kg. Every load we send to Dublin Port for shipping to the UK and Holland weighs about 26 tonnes,” Eamonn explains.
Eamonn has two trucks as well as a JCB Fastrac and two teleporters dedicated to his farm plastics collection business. A Foden artic is fitted with a state-of-the-art crane and pulls two different ejector trailers, while a DAF rigid has a drag trailer and weigh bridge. The JCB Fastrac is usually rigged up to one of two Dennison trailers owned by the affable Kilkenny man.
There are four full-time and four part-time staff employed in the business. The full-time staff are Tom Jacob, Thomas Dreeling, Cain Winefield and Patrick O’Connor, while Eamonn’s son Christopher, who works in banking during the week, and his neighbour James Delahunty, are among those who help out in their spare time.
“I’m fortunate to have a good team around me. We pride ourselves on our reliable, efficient and friendly service,” continues Eamonn, who is married to Margaret.
“Our busiest months of the year are May and June when the bring centres are open and operating at full capacity. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our customers for their continued support and look forward to catering for all their farm plastics collection needs for many more years to come.”
Eamonn Nolan Farm
Plastics Collection
The Demesne,
Gowran,
Co. Kilkenny.
Telephone: 087 4129073
Email: [email protected]
Taken from Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 6 No 5, August 2018
