Cleanfarms to move ag plastic jug recycling to Manitoba ag retailers over next 3 years

Cleanfarms has announced that it is changing its recycling drop off locations in Manitoba where producers take empty 23L and smaller plastic pesticide and fertilizer containers.

The recycling collection system is gradually transitioning from sites at municipal transfer stations and landfill facilities to collecting empty ag jugs at Manitoba agricultural retail operations.

The transition to ag retailers is being phased in over three years. The first phase is starting with municipal collection sites that, even though open to receive empty containers from producers, have had little or no containers dropped off there for the past few years.

Cleanfarms Executive Director Barry Friesen said there are several reasons why the change to ag retailers makes sense.

“Transitioning to a retail-based collection for the jug program shifts responsibility to accept empty containers from Manitoba municipalities to the ag industry, which harmonizes the collection system across Canada. In all other provinces except Manitoba and Alberta, we collect empty containers at ag retailers,” Friesen said. Alberta will be transitioned on the same three-year schedule.

Friesen noted that collecting small ag pesticide and fertilizer containers at ag retailers makes recycling the empty containers more convenient for producers.

“For one thing, having ag retailers accept empty containers means we have more drop off locations with longer operating hours,” Friesen said. “For another, producers can return small and large bulk containers to a location that they already go to on a regular basis. It makes recycling easier for most growers.” 

Currently, producers return empty bulk containers—23L to 1000L drums and totes—to ag retailers while they take smaller empty containers to municipal collection sites for recycling. 

Friesen said another advantage of the revised drop off system is that when producers go to ag retailers to purchase crop input products, they can get a free large plastic bag that makes collecting, storing and transporting small empty containers more efficient. The bags hold about 45 empty containers each.