The Natural Resources Wales (NRW) “Four Rivers for LIFE” project is collaborating with Agriculture Plastics Environment (APE), Birch Farm Plastics, and Afonydd Cymru to pilot a new network of plastic drop-off centers across the Teifi, Tywi, Cleddau, and Usk river catchments. These rivers are designated Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), home to vulnerable species such as salmon, lamprey, and otters.
“Farm plastics have been found in the Teifi, Tywi and Cleddau rivers and contribute to the overall environmental issues affecting their health,” said Chris Thomas, Senior Land Management Officer for the project, in a July 2025 announcement. “Rivers can only support farmers and communities if they are healthy and free from pollution and plastic waste.”
The UK’s agricultural plastic recycling rate is among the lowest in Western Europe. A 2023 report by the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) found recycling rates ranging from 20% to 30%, compared to 65% in Germany, 80% in France, and 90% in Ireland.
This gap has long been attributed to high collection costs and a lack of localized infrastructure. According to a 2024 survey conducted by the West Wales Rivers Trust (WWRT), cost was the most commonly cited barrier by Welsh farmers when asked why they didn’t recycle plastic waste such as silage wrap.
“By increasing the number of drop-off centers, we aim to increase the recycling rates of agricultural polythene and provide a lower cost option to farmers,” said Cheryl Birch of Birch Farm Plastics. “Our costs are lower when collecting from drop off centers, so we are able to pass that saving on.”
Drop-off sites are now available at key livestock markets and agricultural locations in Talsarn, Crymych, Llandovery, Sennybridge, Raglan, and potentially Carmarthen.
Plastic pollution from agriculture is an underreported but significant contributor to freshwater degradation. Silage wrap and bale netting can clog waterways, trap aquatic species, and elevate flood risks by blocking culverts and streams.
A 2022 study in the journal Science of the Total Environment found that agricultural plastics were the second-largest source of microplastic contamination in European freshwater bodies, trailing only urban wastewater runoff. These microplastics can persist for decades, accumulating in sediment and aquatic species' digestive systems.
“Learning from successful markets in Europe, ‘drop off centers’ significantly help farmers in recycling their used farm plastics,” said Ian Creasey of APE. “This scheme is dedicated to supporting farmers while helping protect these rivers from plastics pollution.”
The UK government has faced increasing calls to regulate agri-plastics more rigorously. In March 2025, the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee recommended the creation of an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme specifically for farm plastics, similar to those that exist for packaging waste in consumer markets.
Until such policy is enacted, local and regional interventions like Four Rivers for LIFE may offer the most practical solution. The success of this trial could provide a blueprint for other rural regions struggling with agricultural waste and water quality.
“We are very pleased that this trial scheme is being brought to South Wales,” said Gail Davies-Walsh, Chief Executive of Afonydd Cymru. “It follows on from a similar project run successfully by the West Wales Rivers Trust last year, so we know the positive impacts it will have.”
