Denis Naughten, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment is reminding farmers that the removal of tyre stockpiles on farms starts tomorrow Saturday, September 29th. Minister Naughten made €700,000 available to help farmers remove tyre stockpiles on their farms and the Irish Farm Film Producers Group (IFFPG), the national farm plastics recycling compliance scheme, has agreed to undertake this work. Removal of tyres from farms will take place through four (4) bring centre collection points over the next three weeks beginning at Cootehill Mart, Co. Cavan on Saturday September 29th. Minister Naughten has met with the IFA County Chairs in each of the four locations to discuss plans for collections.
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Minister Naughten with IFA County Chairs l-r Elizabeth Orminston Cavan IFA, Anne Mitchell Galway IFA, Edel Gahan Wexford Vice-Chair IFA, Erika O’Keeffe, South Tipperary IFA. Pic courtesy IFA
I made €1 million available in funding last year for local authorities to deal with the clean-up of existing stockpiles of tyres across the country. I did this to support the introduction of a new compliance scheme for tyres and waste tyres from 1 October 2017. At that time I also indicated that I would look at the issue of tyres on farms. I am now following through on that commitment through the allocation of €700,000 to help farmers remove stockpiles on their farms. I welcome the logistical and awareness support received from the IFA and particularly from the IFA County Chairs where each of the collections are being held over the next three weeks,
stated Minister Naughten.
The collections, which represent a good geographical spread, will begin on Saturday 29th September at Cootehill Mart, Co. Cavan from 9.00a.m. to 5.00p.m;
New Ross Mart, Co. Wexford on Tuesday 9th October;
Athenry Mart, Co. Galway on Saturday 13th October;
Gort Drum Mines, Monard, Co. Tipperary on Saturday 20th October2018.
Further collection bring centres may be announced,
stated Minister Naughten.
The new structures for tyres and waste tyres have been working extremely well since their introduction. The funding that I allocated for stockpile collections will give farmers an opportunity to remove unwanted tyres from their farms and they can be assured that these tyres will be treated in an environmentally sound manner,
concluded Minister Naughten.
Farmers must bring their herd number to these collection centres for verification purposes. Full details are available on www.farmplastics.ie
Note for Editor:
Under the Waste Management (Tyres and Waste Tyres) Regulations 2017 farmers are not allowed to stockpile tyres on farms. Where farmers use tyres to cover silage, they are prohibited from having more than 8 tyres per square meter of any silage pit’s floor area.
In addition, since 1 October 2017 any farmer who wishes to take in waste tyres for the purposes of anchoring silage must register with the new tyre compliance Scheme, Repak ELT.