June 4, 2019
Attention: Municipalities, waste commissions, agricultural fieldmen and managers of agricultural plastics
We are pleased to share with you that the Agricultural Plastics Recycling Group (APRG) through Alberta Beef Producers (ABP) have selected Cleanfarms as the program operator for a three-year pilot program to collect agricultural grain bags and twine for recycling.
Cleanfarms was successful in meeting the qualifications set out in an expression of interest for the provincial program. Cleanfarms will handle program logistics including collection and transportation to recycle the materials. Other responsibilities include market research for all types of agricultural plastics, a waste characterization study to determine plastic volumes and materials, surveys to producers, and education about the program. Cleanfarms is a Canadian non-profit organization that delivers recycling and disposal solutions that help farmers and their communities safely manage farm waste.
The success of Cleanfarms’ programs highlights the commitment of farmers, manufacturers, retailers, distributors, municipalities, and provinces to agricultural environmental responsibility and sustainability. Cleanfarms draws on over 30 years of experience implementing programs to collect and divert agricultural waste from landfills, waterways, and on-farm burning.
We have had an extremely positive response from municipalities across the province who want to participate in this program. The project budget will support up to 20 collection sites across the province for the first year of the pilot.
The next step will be to engage those groups to determine the site locations with the goal to start material collection by early Fall.
Cleanfarms has asked that all interested sites go to their website at https://cleanfarms.ca/alberta-ag-plastic-recycle-it-program/ to register interest in becoming a site. You will hear from Tammy Shields and/or other staff from Cleanfarms in the following weeks about the site selection process. An in-person information session for collection sites is also being scheduled for the last week in June.
Thank you for your continued interest and support to make this pilot project a success.
Sincerely,
Al Kemmere Chair, APRG
Info about the program
Funds for the pilot project were granted by the Government of Alberta and are administered by Alberta Beef Producers.
About the Agricultural Plastics Recycling Group
The APRG is a group made up of over 20 stakeholder organizations from sectors across the province representing municipalities, producers, non-profits, recyclers and retailers among others. For a full list of members and more details please visit www.aprg.ca.
About ABP
Alberta Beef Producers (ABP) is the democratic and representative organization that speaks and works on behalf of close to 18,000 cattle and beef producers in Alberta. It is an organization of producers, run by producers, working for producers in all sectors of the cattle and beef industry and all areas of the province. The mission of ABP is to strengthen the sustainability and competitiveness of the beef industry for the benefit of beef producers in Alberta.
About Cleanfarms
Cleanfarms is a Canadian non-profit industry stewardship organization committed to environmental responsibility through the proper management of agricultural packaging and product waste. Emulated internationally, Cleanfarms develops, implements and operates:
Canada-wide programs that collect and recycle empty, single-use pesticide and fertilizer containers, and collect and safely manage unwanted pesticide and old livestock medications;
seed and pesticide bag collection programs in eastern Canada with pilots in western Canada; and
a regulated grain bag recycling program in Saskatchewan.
Recovered agricultural plastics are recycled into new products such as farm drainage tile, flexible irrigation pipe and garbage bags.
For more information, or to register interest in becoming a collection site, visit www.cleanfarms.ca
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