Features Fruit Production
CleanFARMS looks at options for BC ag packaging

February
22, 2012, Etobicoke, Ont – Reducing, reusing and recycling agricultural and
horticultural packaging waste, including plastic containers and bale wrap, will
soon be a legal requirement in British Columbia.

February
22, 2012, Etobicoke, Ont – Reducing, reusing and recycling agricultural and
horticultural packaging waste, including plastic containers and bale wrap, will
soon be a legal requirement in British Columbia.

As a
result of amended legislation under the B.C. Ministry of Environment that
requires all “packaging material” as defined by the province to be responsibly
recycled, CleanFARMS is studying options to manage agricultural waste plastics.

“At
CleanFARMS, we understand what it takes to run a successful stewardship
program. We currently operate two world-renowned programs for farmers: the
national empty pesticide container recycling program and the obsolete pesticide
collection campaign,” says Barry Friesen, general manager of CleanFARMS.

This research
project is being administered through the B.C. Agricultural Research and
Development Corporation (ARDCORP) and the Investment Agriculture Foundation of
B.C. Funding for this project is provided by the Investment Agriculture
Foundation through the Agri-Food Futures Fund, a trust funded from money under
the former federal-provincial safety nets framework.

“We’re
pleased to partner with CleanFARMS on this project,” says Reg Ens, executive
director of the B.C Agriculture Council. “Farmers want access to programs such
as this one that enable them to manage waste packaging. It’s good for farmers,
it’s good for the environment and it's good for our province.”

As it
currently stands, there are either limited or no recycling options for many
agricultural plastic waste products in B.C. Products such as seed and
fertilizer bags, twine and net wrap, silage and hay bale wrap, and cardboard,
among others, will be covered by the new regulations.

By May
19th, 2014, packaging producers must provide for collection of packaging waste
from residential premises and municipal property that is not industrial,
commercial or institutional property. Several commercial businesses, such as
those represented by CleanFARMS, are making plans to collect all the packaging
that they produce in anticipation of the future requirements.

CleanFARMS’
research will examine how much agricultural waste packaging is generated, who
is responsible for managing it and what kind of programs could be implemented
to do so.

A
steering committee made up of a cross-section of stakeholders, including
industry and government players, will guide CleanFARMS’ research. The next
steps will be to communicate the results to the industry.