CBC’s Daybreak Kamloops with Joyce discusses the launch of the TNRD pilot to recycle agricultural plastic. You can listen to Joyce’s interview with Cleanfarms’ Kim Timmer, which starts at 35:30 minutes into the podcast.
Across British Columbia, farmers are participating in pilot projects to better manage their twine, bale wrap, silage covers, and silage and grain bags*. These pilots are funded individually through agreements with regional districts.
How it Works:
- Check your region – Each area in BC is accepting different plastics.
- Prepare your plastics – Review the preparation and collection instructions detailed for your region.
- Follow drop-off instructions – Each region has specific drop-off locations and availability schedules.
Click on the relevant regional district to learn more about which materials are included, learn how to prepare the materials, and find information on how to participate in each of the pilot projects.
Pilot programs are being tested in specific Regional Districts at this time. The information collected in these pilots will be used to inform a comprehensive plan for the province around these materials. Please sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on program developments.
For more information about this program, please contact:
Carly Fraser
Special Projects Coordinator
fraserc@cleanfarms.ca | 416-736-8492
Fraser Valley Regional District
A pilot recycling program for bale wrap, silage bags/bunker covers is available to farmers in the Fraser Valley Regional District.
On-farm compactors will be used to densify plastics before transport to end markets in this pilot. To qualify to receive a compactor, you must have an environmental farm plan, and provide some business information.
Please get in touch with Carly Fraser (fraserc@cleanfarms.ca) to indicate your interest in a compactor.
What to Put In & What to Keep Out of a Compactor
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FAQs
What happens to the bale wrap and silage plastic that is collected?
Both bale wrap and silage plastic are transported to recycling facilities, where they are shredded, washed, and then converted into plastic pellets. The pellets are then used to manufacture new plastic products such as plastic bags, plastic dimensional lumber, or plastic agricultural fence posts.
See our “What Becomes What” Guide to learn more about how agricultural plastics are reincorporated into new products.
Why use a compactor?
Generally, plastics that are collected loose take up a large amount of space, are time consuming and difficult to handle with equipment, and they weigh very little, which is inefficient for transportation to a recycling facility.
How can I get a manual compactor for my farming operation?
Contact Special Projects Coordinator Carly Fraser (fraserc@cleanfarms.ca) to discuss how your region can get involved.
How can I get involved?
Contact Special Projects Coordinator Carly Fraser (fraserc@cleanfarms.ca) to discuss how your region can get involved.
How to use a manual compactor
Watch this video to learn more about how these compactors can help compress ag plastics, reduce contamination and facilitate transportation to collection sites or recycling facilities.
How to Prepare Bale Wrap and Silage Plastic for Compacting
Silage Plastic
Follow these 3 steps to prepare your used silage plastic for recycling:
- Shake – to remove spoiled silage, mud, ice, etc.
- Fold – into approximate 4’ squares.
- Store – 4′ square pieces on a pallet and use a weight to hold them in place. When ready to compact, lay the pieces flat in a compactor and compress them to densify.
Bale Wrap
Follow these 3 steps to prepare your used bale wrap for recycling:
- Cut – the bale wrap into manageable pieces.
- Shake – to remove hay, mud, ice, etc.
- Store – pieces flat on a pallet and use a weight to hold them in place. When ready to compact, lay the pieces flat in a compactor and compress them to densify.
Thompson-Nicola Regional District
Select farms or ranches will be participating in a recycling pilot project for bale wrap and silage covers in Thompson-Nicola Regional District!
Participating producers will use on-site compactors to bale their material for easier storage and transport.
Please get in touch with Adriana Mailloux amailloux@tnrd.ca if you are interested in participating in this pilot.
What to Put In & What to Keep Out of a Compactor
| What’s In |
|---|
|
| What’s Out |
|---|
|
FAQs
What happens to the bale wrap and silage plastic that is collected?
Both bale wrap and silage plastic are transported to recycling facilities, where they are shredded, washed, and then converted into plastic pellets. The pellets are then used to manufacture new plastic products such as plastic bags, plastic dimensional lumber, or plastic agricultural fence posts.
See our “What Becomes What” Guide to learn more about how agricultural plastics are reincorporated into new products.
Why use a compactor?
Generally, plastics that are collected loose take up a large amount of space, are time consuming and difficult to handle with equipment, and they weigh very little, which is inefficient for transportation to a recycling facility.
How can I get a manual compactor for my farming operation?
Contact Special Projects Coordinator Carly Fraser (fraserc@cleanfarms.ca) to discuss how your region can get involved.
How can I get involved?
Contact Special Projects Coordinator Carly Fraser (fraserc@cleanfarms.ca) to discuss how your region can get involved.
How to use a manual compactor
Learn more about how these compactors can help compress ag plastics, reduce contamination and facilitate transportation to collection sites or recycling facilities.
How to Prepare Bale Wrap and Silage Plastic for Compacting
Silage Plastic
Follow these 3 steps to prepare your used silage plastic for recycling:
- Shake – to remove spoiled silage, mud, ice, etc.
- Fold – into approximate 4’ squares.
- Store – 4′ square pieces on a pallet and use a weight to hold them in place. When ready to compact, lay the pieces flat in a compactor and compress them to densify.
Bale Wrap
Follow these 3 steps to prepare your used bale wrap for recycling:
- Cut – the bale wrap into manageable pieces.
- Shake – to remove hay, mud, ice, etc.
- Store – pieces flat on a pallet and use a weight to hold them in place. When ready to compact, lay the pieces flat in a compactor and compress them to densify.
Peace River Regional District
A pilot recycling program for baler twine and grain bags is available to farmers in the Peace River Regional District.
Twine
Follow these steps to ensure that your twine can be accepted and recycled:
- Pick up a collection bag from participating PRRD collection sites.
- Shake out your material, removing as much debris, dirt or ice/snow as possible.
- Place twine directly into the collection bag. Secure a full bag closed with twine or zip tie.
- Return bag full of material back to your local collection site
Grain Bags
Get ready to recycle grain bags!
Grain bags need to be machine-rolled tightly to be properly prepared for recycling markets. Preparation involves these 3 steps:
- Shake – Remove debris; grain bags need to be as clean as possible with care to remove as much organic material (spoilage, dirt, etc.) before or during rolling. Excessively dirty or loose/unrolled bags may be rejected.
- Roll – Machine-roll grain bags and secure firmly with twine. The PRRD has established eight dedicated collection sites and offers a grain bag roller for rent at a rate of $50 per day. Farmers can contact the PRRD at 250-784-3200 or via email at environmental.services@prrd.bc.ca for more info.
- Return – Return your well-rolled plastic bale to a local collection site.
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