List of Upcoming Events and Products

Most Recent Ag News Article

October 1, 2025 - From Grain Bags to Baler Twine

Alberta seeks input on recycling farm plastics for a better program.

Alberta is moving toward a more regulated system for dealing with agricultural plastics waste. The government is asking for feedback from farmers, industry groups, service boards, municipalities and recyclers on how best to collect and recycle plastics like grain bags, bale wrap, silage plastic, baler twine and seed and pesticide bags.

Currently, much of Alberta’s agricultural plastic recycling is handled through voluntary programs and pilot projects. These have had some success – Cleanfarms’ “Alberta Ag-Plastic. Recycle It!” program, in partnership with the Agricultural Plastics Recycling Group (APRG), has collected substantial volumes of twine, grain bags and other farm plastics.

However, voluntary programs tend to lack coverage and consistency, collection framework and long-term funding. Because of this, many stakeholders want more certainty to guarantee that collection will be available everywhere, that costs and responsibilities are clearly shared and that recycling standards work well for producers, not just urban areas. The Alberta government believes a regulatory approach might offer that form of stability.

Two regulatory models are under consideration:

• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): Under this model, the producers of agricultural plastics (manufacturers, importers, etc.) would be responsible for designing, funding and operating the systems to collect and recycle the plastics they market in Alberta. This means they’d cover disposable management, and sometimes these costs get passed down or built into product pricing. 
• Regulated Stewardship Programs: These are similar in that producers pay into the system, but some of the management and operational work (collection, recycling logistics) might be handled by third-party organizations under government regulation. 

Part of the engagement survey asks what kinds of plastics should be included under any new regulation, what recovery rate targets might look like, what minimum service or collection standards are acceptable and how quickly implementation should happen.

Some groundwork is already being laid. The Alberta Ag-Plastic pilot “Recycle It!” program has been running since 2019 and has been extended to late 2025. It allows producers to drop off grain bags, bale twine and certain other plastics in collection locations. The pilot has built up a network of collection sites and demonstrated that many producers want to participate.

Cleanfarms and APRG have also been doing outreach and awareness, working to get more producers to use the program and encouraging proper preparation of the materials (cleaning, bundling properly etc.) so the plastics can be recycled more efficiently.

As part of the government’s engagement, stakeholders are being asked to share perspectives via an online survey. Areas that input is requested include:

• Which types of agricultural plastics should be covered (grain bags, baler wrap, silage plastic, pesticide containers etc.) 
• Who should be responsible (which producers, manufacturers, importers) under the regulatory approach. 
• What recovery or recycling rate targets are reasonable. 
• What service standards should apply (how collection works, how accessible drop-off points are) 
• Cost implications for farmers, producers, government, and taxpayers. 

The deadline for the survey has been extended to October 3, 2025.

Plastics waste from farms such as grain bags, twine, bale wrap and silage films can be bulky, environmentally harmful if burned or improperly disposed and difficult to manage in remote or rural settings. Producers often report that disposal options are limited, or that drop-off locations are far away, which increases cost and makes participation harder.

A regulated approach could offer better access, stable funding, and clearer rules so farmers know what’s expected, and producers know their obligations. It might also spur innovation – for example, more recycling infrastructure, better collection networks, or even new types of plastics or packaging designed to be easier to recycle.

Once survey feedback is collected, the information will be used to shape policy. No decisions have been made yet. The feedback will help support whether agricultural plastics get included in Alberta’s Extended Producer Responsibility regulation, or under a new or existing stewardship program, and lay out how that framework may look.

For Alberta producers, this engagement is more than a survey — it’s an opportunity to help build a recycling system that actually works in rural settings and provides a voice. A well-designed program could reduce waste, protect the land and make day-to-day farm operations easier. As winter approaches and the current pilot program winds down in the coming years, the feedback gathered now will play a crucial role in building a long-term solution for agricultural plastics across the province.