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ARCHIVE: Non-Packaging Agricultural Plastics

Defra, the Scottish Government, and the Welsh Assembly Government are currently consulting on proposals to introduce a collection scheme for waste NPAP.

In May 2006 the Government convened an industry Advisory Group on Farm Plastics (AGFP) operating as a sub-group of the Advisory Committee on Packaging. The AGFP’s remit was to advise Defra on the development of Producer Responsibility proposals.

‘Farm plastics’ is a generic term used to describe a variety of plastics used by agricultural businesses. There are two sub-groups of farm plastics: Plastic Packaging, and Non-Packaging Agricultural Plastics (NPAP). 

NPAP products typically include silage bale wrap (silage wrap/sheet) horticultural cover (crop cover) mulch films bale twine fleece plant jacket greenhouse film (tunnel film), and tree guards.  Responsibility for the disposal of waste NPAP is, in general, currently the responsibility of the end user (usually the farmer).

The Environment Agency is responsible for enforcing waste management in England and Wales, in Scotland the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and in Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.

Recent developments

  • Government committed £1m of Business Resource Efficiency Waste (BREW) Programme funding over 3 years to fund a substantial body of research and practical trials examining how a producer responsibility scheme might be set up.  This project finished in 2007.  The results of this study can be found at www.agwasteplastics.org.uk.

Related topics

WRAP Good practice guide on non-packaging plastics (PDF, WRAP, website)

Page last modified: 17 February 2010
Page published: 11 February 2010