Five Provinces to Host Agricultural Waste Disposal Events
Cleanfarms is set to continue its vital environmental stewardship efforts through its Unwanted Pesticides and Old Livestock/Equine Medications (UPLM) program.
The initiative, which spans five Canadian provinces, provides farmers and agri-businesses a secure way to dispose of outdated or unwanted agricultural chemicals and medications.
Scheduled for October and November, the program includes 72 collection events, ranging from one-day blitzes to multi-day gatherings.
These will occur in regions including North Saskatchewan, South Alberta, and areas across British Columbia, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.
The diversity in locations and schedules ensures accessibility for farmers across these provinces, enabling them to participate conveniently.
Farmers can dispose of unwanted agricultural pesticides and livestock, equine, and poultry medications.
Items accepted include products with a Pest Control Product number, medications used in the rearing of animals with identifiable numbers like DIN, and commercial pesticides used in golf courses or for industrial pest control.
Notably, the program does not accept treated seeds, large quantities of unopened products, needles, or any household hazardous wastes.
The program is crucial for environmental health and the safety of farming operations.
Safe disposal of these substances prevents potential environmental contamination and aligns with responsible farming practices. Each collection provides a trusted avenue for farmers to manage accumulated agricultural waste responsibly.
Barry Friesen, Cleanfarms' Executive Director, emphasized the program's role in offering a dependable solution for material management that might have accumulated over the years.
He noted that farmers look forward to the program's return every three years, appreciating the opportunity to clean their storages of obsolete products.
Cleanfarms has been facilitating this collection initiative since 2010, expanding it in 2014 to include animal medications in partnership with the Canadian Animal Health Institute (CAHI).
This collaboration underscores a commitment to sustainable agricultural practices and responsible animal health stewardship.
With funding from the crop protection industry and CAHI members, the program is free for farmers, underscoring a shared commitment to environmental care and agricultural safety.
The last collection round in 2021 saw the disposal of over 201,000 kg of pesticides and 5,550 kg of animal medications, highlighting the significant impact and success of the initiative.
Farmers interested in participating in this year’s collection can find event details and locations on the Cleanfarms website under ‘What to recycle & Where’.
This resource facilitates easy access to necessary services, ensuring that all participants can find their nearest collection event.
Photo credit: Cleanfarms