113. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he has looked at the double payment farmers make on farm plastics, once at time of initial purchase and second when properly disposing of it at plastic waste collection; if not, will the Minister agree to look at this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59204/26]

The Waste Management (Farm Plastics) Regulations 2001 provide for the introduction of an extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme for farm plastics. The Irish Farm Film Producers' Group CLG (IFFPG) is a not-for-profit organisation approved under the regulations to run the EPR. The company is owned by its producer members and the IFA.

IFFPG funds its operations from:

(i) producer fees paid by its members which are companies that place farm plastics, films etc on the market; and

(ii) collection fees paid by farmers at the time of disposing of the plastic.

Previously, farmers paid a fixed contribution at the time of purchase of farm plastics, plus a further, lower amount at the time of disposal.

Following engagement between IFFPG and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Competition, some changes to the scheme have been made:

• IFFPG has removed the obligation on its members to pass the cost of the producer fee down to farmers or other purchasers. Members of IFFPG are now free to decide individually if, and how much of, that cost will be passed down and included in the purchase price of the product;

• While IFFPG continues to require farmers to provide a label code on proof of purchase at collections in order to allow IFFPG to trace legal purchases of farm plastic, the bar code is no longer needed as proof of full or partial payment of the levy, nor does it affect the price charged at the collection point;

• IFFPG now also allows authorised waste collectors to charge farmers less than the collection charge recommended by the scheme.

My officials and I have been kept advised of these developments by the IFFPG.