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Cairngorms

Dreaming of a Green Christmas

19th December 2006

FARMERS are being encouraged to have a green Christmas thanks to a new scheme by the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) which will recycle their waste for free.

The CNPA is committed to maintaining the special environmental qualities of the Park, which means helping home owners and businesses establish more environmentally friendly measures.

Farmers and crofters are now legally obliged to ensure they dispose of their agricultural waste in a way that does not cause any harm to the environment or to human health.

It is estimated that there are more than 100 tonnes of plastic agricultural waste within the Park in need of disposal.

The CNPA has teamed up with David Ritchie and Sons, based north of Aviemore, to run a free recycling scheme to all farmers and crofters within the Park.

They can take their agricultural plastic waste to Ritchie’s and the CNPA will pay the gate fee (usually £50 per tonne plus VAT). The only cost for the individual will be for transporting it to the site.

Will Boyd-Wallis, CNPA Senior Land Management Officer, said: “The CNPA is committed to helping businesses within the Park adopt greener practices. This will help ensure the National Park retains the special qualities which have made it so popular with so many people over the years, as well as benefit the business.

“We are aware that farmers and crofters across the country are having difficulties with dealing with their waste due to financial constraints. This project with David Ritchie and Sons will ease that burden. It is also a good example of the joint work being employed within the Park.”

The following plastics can be recycled under the project:

  1. woven polypropylene – outer bulk fertiliser and feed bags, seed bags
  2. hard plastics – containers for herbicides and pesticides, drums, feed-lick buckets, pipes etc
  3. soft plastics – silage wrap, silage pit covers, small feed and fertiliser bags, sawdust bags, plastic packaging, shrink wrap, pallet covers etc

All waste will be checked by the company to ensure it has been cleaned and separated into the above categories. It can be dropped off between 9am-5pm Monday to Friday, but you must phone beforehand.

At present David Ritchie and Sons is the only recycling centre operating in the Park’s vicinity, but the CNPA is looking into providing a similar scheme in other areas of the Park, particularly in the eastern side. It would also be pleased to hear from anyone who is considering setting up a recycling unit within the area.

The current scheme with David Ritchie and Sons is set to run until March 2007.

For more information please contact Will Boyd-Wallis, CNPA Senior Land Management Officer on 01479 870547 or email [email protected]  or contact Brian Ritchie on 07711330969 or visit www.davidritchieandsons.co.uk