Teagasc nursery stock/ornamentals advisor, Dónall Flanagan explores the issue of plastic in the nursery sector and highlights a number of potential solutions coming on stream
“Not another article on plastic,” I hear you say. We have been bombarded for months on how harmful plastics are if not disposed of correctly. Disturbing images of plastic in our seas and damage to wildlife have hit a nerve with the public. There is a tangible sense of awareness of the issues that we face.
The problem of plastics permeates every aspect of our lives. I venture you may even be reading this with a disposal plastic coated coffee cup in your hand. But solutions are coming on stream, even for your disposal cup. Truly compostable disposable cups, made by the likes of Vegeware, are more common now. You might have unknowingly used them at Bloom, and these solutions are quickly spreading to horticulture. The overall global trend of environmental responsibility is seen to have the greatest resonance with young adults and homeowners and a little more so with women than men.
A Global Data survey in 2017 found that “Customers are making more purchasing decisions based on climate change, environmental deterioration, biodiversity loss, and resource shortages.” A survey by Kantar of 5,000 UK adults in early 2018 found that 24.6% expressed “extreme concern about the plastic packaging of groceries.” You could expect that the rate in Ireland wouldn’t be far off this. The big picture response from the EU has been to announce its Plastics Strategy that would see all plastic sold in Europe being either reusable or recyclable by 2030. Much will need to be done to get to this point but how much does horticulture need to do and what will be the cost?
Fresh produce has had to change in response to consumers’ and retailers’ demands. Loose packed veg and compostable packs are now on some supermarket shelves. Paper punnets and bags are creeping into use, for example on mushrooms. Heat sealed fruit and veg packs are widely used as well as lidded packs. Quality of produce is higher in sealed packs and there is less plastic to recycle. Changing packaging comes at a cost, however, packing fresh produce using a heath sealer, e.g. Proseal can cost up to €15,000 for a heat plate to fit the new package. Conor Green of Green’s Berry Farm says, “We have introduced 400g paper punnets on sale from the farm and they are very popular.”
Paul Brophy of Brophy Produce, one of Ireland’s key broccoli producers, says, “The alternatives to plastic have to be affordable, workable and ensure integrity of the produce.” His company already uses a limited amount of plastic as produce is sold either in cellophane wrap or loose and both are delivered in returnable crates. Paul says of the future, “Plastic is being replaced, it’s going to happen and when it does it’ll be quick.” One supermarket will lead the way but will no doubt not be long on their own at the front of the race. A prime example of recent change is Quality Green Producer Organisation. Their tomatoes are now supplied to Dunne’s Stores in a cardboard tray instead of plastic. David Currid, chairman of Quality Green, says, “The old plastic trays were clear and recyclable but Dunne’s wanted to move away from plastic and together with Total Produce we found a very similar cardboard tray.” The cost of the tray, David says, was less much than it would have been a few years ago, but not cheaper than plastic. This was a good fit and has been a win-win for the supplier and consumer.
Eoin Reid, owner of Fernhill Garden Centre, doesn’t think that plastic is a barrier to buying for his customers. “We try to educate our customers about how they can recycle their pots, trays and plastic. Some bring back pots for us to recycle or think we might reuse them.” One area of waste that Eoin has to deal with is the trays from bedding. “The marketing trays take up a lot of space and all our suppliers use different ones. If they were, all the same, it would be really easy to reuse them a few times.”
“Unfortunately, the government and recycling company websites don’t show plant pots being recycled and this could mislead some well-meaning gardeners” |
At present plastic film from polytunnels can be recycled. Deirdre Warren from Colm Warren Polyhouses says, “We recycle all off cuts and old plastic with a supplier in Northern Ireland. The plastic is segregated and baled into tonne pallets and shipped once there is enough to cover transport costs.” Some co-ops organise recycling collection of plastic from tunnels and triple rinse pesticide containers. I’ve visited Belgian nurseries selling baled pallet wrap to local recyclers at a very worthwhile price; the growers were definitely happy with how much they could save by selling it rather than disposing of it.
Domestic recycling companies can help the home gardeners and food consumer. Panda, City Bin and others can recycle clean plastic, only of grades 1, 2 and sometimes 5 regardless of colour. Some black plastic can’t be segregated in automated systems and the type used in multipack bedding (grade 6). Unfortunately, the government and recycling
company websites don’t show plant pots being recycled and this could mislead some well-meaning gardeners. City Bin Company has an excellent simple guide for recycling, the best I have seen. Reusing instead of recycling can be viable too.
Florensis distributes young plants in Ireland through Goldcrop, and has been using returnable and reusable plug trays for many years. There is a cost to putting systems like this in place and there is no doubt that its a key hurdle. We as consumers hate seeing price increases and as producers know it will come off our bottom line. The government stepped in when plastic bags littered hedgerows and I feel it will take a similarly brave move from the government to bring us to the next level. A plastic tax has been ruled out by the EU but a deposit system is being used by some countries and considered by more.
Innovations are appearing in the nursery stock and pot plant sectors. Modiform Eco Expert was launched this year at IPM Essen and can be seen in some UK Tesco stores. Speaking with Shaun Herdsman of Modiform, he says, “All our plastic is recyclable, but customers are looking for alternatives.” Their clear growing trays seen for a number of years in B&Q are made from 100% post-consumer recycled PET. The Eco Expert trays and pots are not suitable for growing plants but can be used for marketing and the cardboard is easy for most retailers and homeowners to recycle. There are sustainable label options too. For example, Floramedia offers one made from cane sugar, another from recycled paper. Growcoon is an intriguing new pot or tray liner that is unlike any pot you will have seen before; it’s like a flexible plastic mesh rather than a solid pot. These are industrially compostable and are certified to completely break down into just water and carbon dioxide. I’ve met Dutch nurseries using the plugs and they’ve been very impressed with the improved rooting rate and it helps with their MPS quality assurance assessments.
When it comes to recycling we know that very little of the potentially recyclable material in the world either get to a recycling facility and even less of this gets recycled, contamination being a key problem. PET and cardboard have value post-use and these two streams already have a good recycling uptake. The quickest route to sustainability will be switching to these two options. I think this is a good news story. We in horticulture are well integrated into a recycling system, it’s not a closed loop system but better than we give
ourselves credit for.
ACTIONS POINTS –
● Review where plastic is being used and if it can be avoided or substituted, e.g. 1 for 6 or recycle;
● Set out on your website or social media which stream of plastic you use can be recycled, e.g 1, 2 and 5;
● Talk to your customers, listen to their needs. Other suppliers will be offering them sustainable options soon, don’t be left behind. ✽
 DóNALL FLANAGAN B.Ag.Sc Com Hort M.Ag.Sc. Teagasc nursery stock/ornamentals specialised advisor. Dónall has been working with Teagasc since 2007 and in his current role since 2016. He provides technical advice to the amenity horticulture production sector and is based in Teagasc Ashtown. You can contact Dónall at 087 703 5823 and donall.flanagan@teagasc.ie |
