Improved collection regulations for agricultural plastic waste

The cabinet on Wednesday approved regulations for the management of agricultural plastic waste.

In a statement after the meeting, Agricultural Minister Maria Panayiotou said that the subject of the proposed regulations is the rational management of waste as plastic is used in many agricultural and farming operations.

“The usual management practices until now unfortunately included their uncontrolled dumping into the natural environment and in some cases uncontrolled burning, while only a very small percentage was subject to proper management, and with these regulations we are coming to correct this,” Panayiotou added.

She said that the regulations introduce obligations based on the principle of extended producer responsibility and require producers and importers, i.e. those who place plastic agricultural products on the market, to set up collecting waste management systems.

The collecting systems, she added, would enable farmers to deliver the waste to appropriate collection points to be set up, from which the waste would be collected and transported to licensed facilities for its rational management.

The regulations will apply to waste of all types of plastic products for agricultural use such as greenhouse covers, rubber hoses and nets.