PRESS RELEASE
Already nine companies on board, Finnish Plastics Recycling coordinates operations
A voluntary recycling organization for agricultural plastics has been founded in Finland. It will take responsibility for developing a nationwide system for extensive collection and recycling of agricultural plastics. The goal of the company is for producers, importers and vendors of agricultural plastics to take producer responsibility for agricultural plastics, although they are not legally responsible to do so. Agricultural plastics include, among other things, bale wraps and silage films, as well as baler strings and twines. Packaging used in agriculture, such as fertilizer and bulk bags, remain under packaging producer responsibility.
Finnish Plastics Recycling is coordinating the initiative, and the new company is a subsidiary of Finnish Plastics Recycling. The following companies belong to the recycling organization: Ab Rani Plast Oy, Lantmännen Agro Oy, Hankkija Oy, Finnlacto Oy, Piippo Oyj, Trioworld Oy, Tama Scandinavia AB, Oy Teollisuushankinta TH Ab and Agro-Tuonti Oy. This extensive group of producers represents a significant part of the Finnish agricultural plastics market. Other companies are also planning to join the organization, and all companies throughout the sales chain of agricultural plastics are welcome. Producers are committed to the project in order to properly launch and develop the collection and recycling of agricultural plastics.
”Agricultural plastics have been brought up in many discussions with the authorities, and they are also included in the Plastics Roadmap for Finland coordinated by the Ministry of the Environment. These proucts are not under producer responsibility and they do not have a nationwide, extensive collection network. Together with producers, Finnish Plastics Recycling has founded a voluntary recycling organization, which takes responsibility for developing the collection and recycling of agricultural plastics”, says the CEO of Finnish Plastics Recycling Mika Surakka.
”The entire value chain of agricultural plastics wants to voluntarily find a solution for the collection and recycling of agricultural plastics. When it comes to environmental responsibility, it is important to do not only what is legally required, but instead a bit more, standing in the forefront”, states Mats Albäck, Sustainability and Development Director at Ab Rani Plast Oy.
So far agricultural plastics have been collected regionally on a project basis, for example by various associations and organizations, as well as by some companies. The new company wants to participate in these projects and make good use of operating models that have already been developed.
”Nevertheless, it is great to have a nationwide dimension and a clear framework for the operation, and this requires broader shoulders. The new reycling organization has these shoulders”, praises Jani Kautto, Product Group Manager at Hankkija Oy.
The organization will develop an operating model which enables a cost-effective way of executing collection and recycling of agricultural plastics. In practice, planning the operations will take this year, and the collection itself will begin in phases during 2024. At the same time the whole process will be finetuned, regarding which agricultural plastics types are included in the collection, how sorting and collection will be executed, how plastics will be recycled and what is the total cost.
”We will probably organize pop-up collections in different localities and regions, to which farmers can bring their own plastics. Another option that has been discussed is that agricultural plastics will be picked up directly from the farms based on advance orders. The new company will put the processes out to tender and choose the best and most cost-effective solutions”, Surakka tells.
”The voluntary producer responsibility organization for agricultural plastics is now working together to make the right choices for sustainable development and circular economy in a cost-effective way”, says Jussi Kortelainen, Quality and Product Development Manager at Piippo Oyj.
The new collection of agricultural plastics will cover:
- bale wraps
- silage films
- baler strings and twines
- netwraps
- silo covers
- plastics used in market gardens.
All agricultural plastics will be included in phases, starting with the collection of bale wraps and silage films. Packagings used in agriculture are already under packaging producer responsibility. Cost savings will be sought through possible joint collections.
For further details:
Mika Surakka, CEO, Finnish Plastics Recycling Ltd.
mika.surakka@sumi.fi, +358 400 197 848
Jani Kautto, Product Group Manager, Hankkija Oy
jani.kautto@hankkija.fi, +358 10 402 7901
Jussi Kortelainen, Quality and Product Development Manager, Piippo Oyj
jussi.kortelainen@piippo.fi, +358 40 661 9900
Mats Albäck, Sustainability and Development Director, Ab Rani Plast Oy
mats.alback@raniplast.com +358 40 6418 815
Finnish Plastics Recycling Ltd is the authorized producer responsibility organization for packaging, that is responsible for the execution of statutory producer responsibility for over 2 700 companies. Its main tasks include organizing a collection network and recycling for all packaging, as well as promoting the recyclability of packaging.