Farm plastic is now given second life through street furniture

Editorial Department • Published 11 Mar 2010 09:00 0 Comments

The wrap of more than 750,000 bales of silage has been collected and recycled by Fermanagh District Council since they began their silage wrap recycling initiative since 2004.

Now five years later, Fermanagh Council is the only local authority in the Province to offer this facility.

This week the Council marked its first year managing the silage wrap recycling with Birch Farm Plastics from Swansea. In the past year, 505 tonnes of agricultural plastic waste has been recycled by the firm which in turn conoverts it into garden and street furniture at the BPI plant in Dumfriesshire in Scotland.

The Council which provides the free service to farmers, says the income from the plastic offsetting the cost of transport and saving the Council over £50,000 for disposal and protecting the void at the landfill site for other use.

The Chairman of Fermanagh District Council, Councillor Robert Irvine, said that the county which has an important tourist industry, had been concerned about the problems associated with disposal of silage wrap and other farm wastes and had set up 22 civic amenity sites to help deal with the problem.

"In 2004, following the development of recycling centres, the Council took the initiative to recycle the silage wrap and this was welcomed by frmers as it contributed to their requirements under the farm quality assurance scheme. Since then some 1,250 tonnes of farm plastic has been recycled.

"I want to pay tribute to the farming community also for their co-operation and dedication in segregating this type of waste and bringing it to our recycling centres. Together we can make a difference to the appeal and beauty of our countryside and I trust we will all strive to continue this improvement in the future," he said.

The Council with over 25,000 households and more than 2,000 kilometres of roads network, the county has a high rural population with the majority of rural dwellers involved in agricultural activities.

Birch Farm Plastics supplies the raw plastic waste to BPI, the largest recycler of agricultural polythene in the UK. who turn it into refuse bags, pit liners and plastic lumber. Birch Farm Plastics then manufactures the plastic lumber into park and street furniture, fencing, etc, through their sister company, Second Life Products in Swansea.

Second Life Products produces an attractive brochure featuring their range from picnic tables and park benches to children's play equipment, fencing, litter bins, flower planters and sheep feeders.

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This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 11 Mar 10

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