A new provincial government initiative aimed at gathering input into the potential inclusion of agriculture plastics in a regulatory system for collecting and recycling designated materials is a worthwhile effort for the farm community and for the community-at-large.
Agricultural plastics producers, agricultural service boards, agricultural commodity groups, agriculture producers such as farmers and ranchers, municipalities, and waste management and recycling organizations are being surveyed to provide comment on a possible regulatory approach.
The stakeholders are being asked to provide input on such things as the types of agricultural plastics that could be included, material recovery rate targets and cost implications.
Agricultural plastics such as grain bags, bale wrap, baler twine, and silage plastics can cause unwanted environmental impacts and create waste management concerns for producers, businesses and other stakeholders.
“Current recycling options for agricultural plastics are limited to certain materials and rely on voluntary approaches and pilot programs,” project officials said.
“Shifting to a regulatory approach would provide long-term certainty for material management, a level playing field for agricultural plastics producers, and economies of scale to better support processing facilities.
“It would also encourage agricultural plastics producers to develop innovative waste management solutions.”
The Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA), which represents dozens of municipalities including Mountain View, Rocky View and Red Deer counties, calls the initiative encouraging.
The association is “pleased to see that the government of Alberta is considering a regulatory approach to agricultural plastics recycling,” said association officials.
The province says input being provided by stakeholders such as RMA will be “considered as part of policy and decision-making on managing agricultural plastics waste through regulatory approach to provide a long-term solution for agricultural plastics waste.”
Agricultural plastics are, and will likely continue to be, useful and necessary tools for farmers and ranchers for years and even decades to come.
As such, if creating an Alberta regulatory approach to agricultural plastics recycling will help support the many farm and ranch families in this distinct and across the province it should be given due consideration.
Dan Singleton is an editor with the Albertan.
