BARBARA McCONNELL, Cleanfarms Media
The collection program safely manages and disposes of unused, unwanted agricultural pesticides and old livestock/equine medications. The program helps keep materials out of the landfill and the environment and is run at no cost to farmers. The next opportunity to dispose of these unwanted materials in these regions will be in three years, in the autumn of 2025.
Cleanfarms, the national stewardship organization, develops and operates programs to help farmers/producers manage on-farm agricultural waste materials. It is returning to six regions of Canada, to hold events to collect unwanted, old agricultural pesticides and obsolete livestock, equine and poultry medications, so farmers can dispose of these unwanted agricultural materials safely.
In total, Cleanfarms’ 2022 program includes 81 collection events.
Farmers are encouraged to bring: old or unwanted agricultural pesticides, identified with a Pest Control Product number on the label; livestock/equine medications used on-farm for livestock, poultry or horses which are identified with a DIN number, serial number, notification number or Pest Control Product number on the label; commercial pesticides for golf courses and industrial and commercial pest control products which are also identified with a Pest Control Product number on the label.
The program does NOT accept: fertilizer, diluted solution, large quantities of unopened product and treated seed, full and unopened jugs of adjuvant or surfactant, needles or sharps, medicated feed, aerosol containers, premises disinfectants and sanitizers, veterinary clinic waste and medications, ear tags, or aerosols, domestic pesticides, fertilizers and animal health products and any other household hazardous waste.
Cleanfarms’ Executive Director, Barry Friesen says, farmers appreciate this program and wait for it to return to their region every three years.
“A program to collect old, unwanted pesticides has been in place since 1998. In 2010, we became responsible for it, and we know from experience and hearing from farmers this program is very important to them in managing on-farm waste materials safely,” Mr. Friesen said. “The program is designed to help them keep their farms clean and sustainable and to keep these materials out of the landfill and the environment. When they use this program, farmers have peace of mind Cleanfarms will dispose of the materials, following the highest standards of health and safety.”
The Canadian Animal Health Institute (CAHI) joined the program as a partner in 2014, to add obsolete farm animal medications to the materials accepted.
The crop protection industry members of Cleanfarms, in partnership with CAHI, cover the full cost of operating the program and disposing of the materials responsibly, so farmers pay nothing. All materials are managed safely through high-temperature incineration.
“CAHI and our members are thrilled to support the Cleanfarms collections once again this fall. Animal health, human health and our shared environment are part of a deeply interconnected system. Our longstanding partnership with Cleanfarms highlights our members’ commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable practices,” said CAHI President and CEO Dr. Catherine Filejski.
The last time this program was held in these regions was in 2019.
A total of 214,618 kgs of unwanted pesticides and 5,842 kgs of obsolete animal medications were collected.
Collection events are scheduled at local agricultural retailers’ locations for ease of access. Information is continuously updated on Cleanfarms’ website, at www.cleanfarms.ca, under “what to recycle & where”.
Three local locations participated in the program. Cleanfarms will be at Reesor’s Seed and Grain, on Thursday, September 22nd, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Reesor’s is located at 5309 Durham #30 in Uxbridge. Next, they will be at Sunderland Coop, on Monday, September 26th, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunderland Coop is located at 381 Taylor Road in Oakwood. If you miss these two dates, they will also be at TCO Agromart Cobourg, on Tuesday, September 27th, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. TCO is located at 7142 County Road 2 W.
Cleanfarms is a Canadian, non-profit stewardship organization, funded by members in the crop protection, crop storage and animal health industries. It works with agricultural organizations, associations, agencies, governments and many partners to ensure Canadian farmers have opportunities to manage agricultural waste responsibly. Cleanfarms delivers recycling and disposal solutions for non-organic waste generated on farms. In addition to the collection program for unwanted pesticides and old livestock/equine medications, Cleanfarms collects empty plastic agricultural pesticide and fertilizer containers, grain bags and twine for recycling. Cleanfarms has staff located in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec.
Questions about which products are accepted in this collection program can be directed to 877-622-4460 or info@cleanfarms.ca.