Written question asked by Peter Duncan (Conservative) on Monday, 15 March 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 23 April 2004. It was answered by Elliot Morley (Labour) on Friday, 23 April 2004 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make a statement on the effect of new legislation on current methods of disposing of farm waste plastics. - Inc ref to Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997 and 75(7)(c) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Answer: Mr. Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the effect of new legislation on current methods of disposing of farm waste plastics. [162256] Mr. Morley: Plastic packaging waste from farms is already subject to the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997 (as amended) which encourage the reuse of packaging where possible and require businesses to recover and recycle packaging waste to target levels. Waste from premises used for agriculture is currently excluded from national waste management controls by section 75(7)(c) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Draft regulations and an associated consultation document are being drafted for publication later in the spring and the consultation will include proposals for a producer responsibility scheme for increasing the collection and recycling of non-packaging agricultural waste plastic. Currently the majority of agricultural waste plastic is disposed of by burial in un-licensed "farm tips" or by unregulated open burning with consequential risks to the environment and human health. The proposed regulations will prohibit the on-farm disposal of agricultural waste without a waste management licence or a registered licence exemption. Waste agricultural plastic will have to be disposed of or recovered in appropriately licensed or registered sites in line with other sectors of industry.

Secondary information