Six farm hazardous waste collection days to take place
A total of six farm hazardous waste collection days are set to take place across the country over the coming weeks.
The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) National Hazardous Waste Management Plan (NHWMP) recommends the establishment of nationwide collection and transfer of farm hazardous wastes.
Last year, a trial run was conducted at three sites in counties Laois, Wexford and Offaly.
600 farmers attended the collection days and a total of 94,995kg of hazardous waste was collected.
Hazardous waste
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (DECC), in conjunction with stakeholders, will extend the number of collection days to six this year.
Full details of each of the collection days, all of which will take place between 9:00a.m and 4:00p.m, are as follows:
| Date | Location | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday, November 12 | Clare | Ennis Mart, Quin Rd, Ennis Co. Clare. |
| Thursday, November 20 | Meath | Fairyhouse Racecourse, Ratoath, Co Meath. |
| Tuesday, November 25 | Cork | Charleville Show Grounds, Co. Cork. |
| Friday, November 28 | Tipperary | Truck Show Grounds, Newtown, Bohernacrusha, Hollycross, Co. Tipperary. |
| Wednesday, December 3 | Mayo | Balla Mart Aurivo, Co. Mayo. |
| Tuesday, December 9 | Kerry | Listowel Mart, Co. Kerry. |
Waste company, ENVA has been procured to manage the collection, removal and disposal of the waste.
Charges
Both DAFM and DECC will co-fund the fixed costs for each of the collection days, with expert input on product identification being provided by the Animal and Plant Health Association (APHA).
Farmers who avail of the service will pay a fee directly to the waste management company based on the following rates, which exclude VAT:
- Pesticides and Biocides (in-including wood preservatives, rodenticides -€4.50/kg;
- Veterinary medicines (doses, dips, wormers, dry tubes, sharps, glass bottles of injectable medicines) - €3.50/kg;
- Waste Oil - €0.20/kg;
- Paint (Hazardous) - €1.20/kg;
- Paint (Non-Hazardous) - €1.20/kg;
- Oil filters/drums - €1.20/kg;
- Corrosives, Brake fluid - €6.00/kg;
- Grease, adhesives and Aerosols - €6.00/kg;
- Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) - €6.00/kg
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon encouraged farmers to avail of the service.
"The removal of such waste from farms ensures compliance with legislation and reduces possible biosecurity, environmental or human health risks," he said.
The minister said that work is also continuing on "appropriate regulatory developments regarding hazardous waste management via Extended Producer Responsibly (EPR) schemes".
Minister of State at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, Alan Dillon said that "finding a suitable outlet for disposing of various hazardous waste items can be difficult".
"In addition to these six collection days my fepartment have also provided funding to the local authority sector, again from the Circular Economy Fund, to facilitate household hazardous waste collection days at eleven other locations throughout the State.
"I expect that similar levels of funding will be provided in 2026 to ensure that households and farms will continue to be provided with safe and convenient outlets to dispose of their household hazardous waste," he added.
