Cleanfarms reports rising plastic scrap collection in 2024

Etobicoke, Ontario-based Cleanfarms says it collected more than 10,000 tons of plastic scrap generated by the agricultural sector last year, representing a nearly 10 percent increased compared with the previous year.

According to the organization, based on a three-year national average, the collection rate for small containers (under 23 liters, or 6 gallons) reached 81 percent, an increase from 78 percent in 2023.

Clearnfarms says the agricultural bulk containers recovery rate rose to 62 percent last year, up from 59 percent in 2023. The organization also says the collection of grain bags in the province of Saskatchewan reached a 69 percent rate last year, continuing an upward trend.

“We’re seeing the results of strong partnerships and hard work on the ground,” Cleanfarms Executive Director Barry Friesen says. “It’s farmers who are preparing their materials properly and bringing them to collection sites, site staff who provide the drop-off locations and our recycler partners who keep these materials moving through the value chain that are making this happen, day by day.”

In a rundown of activities by province, Cleanfarms points to participants in Alberta as having achieved a small container recovery volume of 456 metric tons last year, representing a 9.6 percent increase from the 416 metric tons collected in 2023.

Looking ahead, Cleanfarms says it is focused on reaching more farmers, expanding programs and continuing to build momentum toward higher recovery rates with materials that can be more readily recycled in 2025.