By Kevin J. Sabo
For the Advance
Paintearth Regional Waste Management is partnering with Ontario-based Cleanfarms Inc. to bring an Agriculture Plastic Recycling program to the region.
The agreement, which was in effect Oct. 1st, will see space made available at the Coronation Transfer Station to collect used agri-plastics, such as grain bags and bagged twine for recycling. The program is a three-year pilot project through Alberta Ag-Plastics and administered by Cleanfarms Inc.
Under the agreement, Paintearth Regional Waste Management will collect the used agri-plastic waste, and Cleanfarms Inc. will collect it on a full load basis, transporting it for recycling.
A full load of the agri-plastic will be 18 tonnes.
The grain bags will be recycled by pelletizing them for use in other industrial applications. The twine will be recycled by either pelletizing or shredding and re-manufacturing for use as roofing materials.
According to Cleanfarms Inc., grain bags and twine account for 50 per cent of all farm-generated plastic waste, and have traditionally been difficult products to recycle due to the difficulty in separating the materials as well as the difficulty of de-contaminating the materials from the usual farm mud and dirt that can build up from regular farm use.
These factors make recycling the products more expensive than other materials.
The program is going to be offered at no charge to residents of the County, and Paintearth Regional Waste Management will receive $55/metric tonne for collected materials.
The Paintearth Regional Waste Management board is currently investigating options for the purchase or rental of grain bag roller that will be required for the project. More information will be made available as the project moves forward.
Funding for the project is being supplied by the Government of Alberta and being administered by Alberta Beef Producers.