A Councillor has urged farmers to bring their black plastic silage wrap and other black plastics to the Fermanagh and Omagh Council's recycling centres before January 1 as new charges will apply in 2019.

Councillor Anthony Feely has reminded farmers of the new charges taking effect from January 1.

The Sinn Fein Councillor for Erne West stated: “Farmers should bring any silage wrapping that they have to recycling centres before the end of the year to avoid the new charges. In the New Year wrapping will need to be brought to the main recycling depots, Enniskillen and Omagh, which have weighbridge facilities where it will be weighed, and the new charges will be applied.

“Until now FODC took in the bale wrap for free and sent it on to recycling companies but because of the price of recycling this product going up it now costs the council £90 per tonne for it to be taken away to be recycled.

"Myself and my party colleagues unsuccessfully fought the introduction of this levy on already hard-pressed farmers, but regulations prevent the council taking the bale wrap at a loss.

“I would encourage farmers to look into alternative recycling companies which may offer a more cost-effective service for recycling of this material, but the Council service may still be the cheapest as it will not be making any profit from this service.

“Myself and my party colleagues will continue to work within the council to try to find alternative solutions to this issue,” he added.