More than 137,000kg of products were disposed
By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com
Farmers in Ontario helped dispose of more than 137,000 kilograms of obsolete and unwanted pesticides and livestock and equine medications through CleanFARMS’ 2016 collection campaign.
Specifically, 125,981 kg of pesticides and 12,080 kg of medications were disposed of last year. In 2013, the last time the program came to the province, farmers disposed of more than 128,000 kg of product.
“Ontario farmers care about the environment and are keen to responsibly manage waste from their farms," Craig Hunter, manager of research and crop protection with the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (OFVGA), said in a release. "Our members have been taking part since the first disposal program was made available to them.”
The program is a success because farmers in Ontario are committed to participating these types of initiatives, Barry Friesen, general manager of CleanFARMS, said in the release.
The free disposal comes to each province about every three years. It will come to Ontario next in 2019. Until then, farmers are encouraged to safely store their unwanted pesticides and livestock medications.
Parts of the country expected to participate in similar CleanFARMS programs this year are:
- British Columbia – Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island,
- Saskatchewan – Southern Region,
- Quebec – Province-wide, and
- rince Edward Island – Province-wide.
According to the organization, since the program’s inception in 1998, more than two million kilograms of pesticides have been safely and properly disposed of.