The Recycling Council of Alberta (RCA) today announced it is honouring recently retired Cleanfarms Executive Director Barry Friesen with its prestigious Rs of Excellence Circular Champion Recognition Award. This award reflects Friesen’s career-long commitment to building a more sustainable, circular future in Canadian agriculture.
Friesen and other award recipients will be recognized at the RCA Annual General Meeting, held online from 10:30 a.m. to noon on November 6, 2026.
Says Friesen: “I’m very proud to be part of this transformative industry, and to receive this honour from the RCA: one of the great champions of circular economy in Canada, playing a pivotal role in job creation while helping to keep our environment clean.”
“It’s fitting this announcement coincides with Waste Reduction Week,” says Cleanfarms Executive Director Shane Hedderson. “During Barry’s tenure, Alberta’s small container program—the first in Canada—grew significantly along with other programs across the province and country. Barry has dedicated his career to improving waste diversion efforts for Canadians, both on and off the farm, and all of us at Cleanfarms are proud of Barry for this well-earned award.”
RCA Executive Director Jenn Koole added: “We’re delighted to recognize Barry’s remarkable contributions to agricultural recycling in Alberta. Through his leadership in producer responsibility and agricultural plastics recovery, he helped build programs and partnerships keeping valuable materials out of landfills. That’s a legacy that lives on in recycling systems and agricultural stewardship here in Alberta and beyond.”
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