Lacombe County, as well as Red Deer County and Ponoka County, are launching the Ag Plastics Recycling Program, to help ensure proper recycling of plastic grain bags. The program will officially begin in November 2018, and will be free of charge to agricultural producers operating within the three counties.
“For a number of years, council has explored options for recycling agricultural plastics,” said Lacombe County Reeve Paula Law in a release issued Monday afternoon. “While this program won’t be operated on a cost-recovery basis, it does eliminate expenditures associated with tipping fees when agriculture plastics are landfilled. The partnership with other counties provides an economy of scale for manpower and equipment while providing local producers with a recycling option that promotes sustainable agricultural practices.”
The three counties signed an agreement with Merlin Plastics – one of the largest plastic recyclers in Western Canada – in August. It was agreed Lacombe County would provide grain bag collection services, which would see bags processed with a grain bag roller on site and collected for delivery to a recycling facility in southern Alberta. From there, plastic will be processed and turned into pellets, which will then be used by a plastics manufacturer. Pelletizing and manufacturing will occur in Alberta.
“We are pleased to have a made-in-Alberta solution that doesn’t involve the product being sent overseas and subsequently, lost track of. Through this arrangement with Merlin Plastics, our counties have an assurance that the plastic is not only recycled, but will also have a practical use after,” said Law.
Red Deer County Mayor Jim Woods and Ponoka County Reeve Paul McLauchlin also commented on the program. “The Ag Plastics Recycling Program is an important project for Red Deer County and our agricultural community. Not only does it show strong collaboration between neighbouring municipalities, it will take large volumes of plastics out of the landfill and allow them to be repurposed. This is a positive for our environment and our economy,” said Woods.
Read the full story at https://www.lacombeglobe.com/news/local-news/area-counties-launch-agricultural-plastics-recycling-program.