Cleanfarms Celebrates 15 Years of Agricultural Sustainability Leadership

Etobicoke, Ontario  – Cleanfarms marks its 15th anniversary as a global leader in agricultural waste management, having collected over 97,000,000 kg of agricultural waste materials from Canadian farms since programming began.

Pesticide and fertilizer containers under 23L, prepared for drop-off at a collection site to be recycled.

Since inception, Cleanfarms, a Canadian not-for-profit industry stewardship organization has become a global leader in collecting, recycling, and safely disposing of used agricultural plastics, packaging, and products. Over the past 15 years, Cleanfarms has expanded its programs to offer comprehensive management solutions for agricultural plastics including grain bags, silage plastics, bale wrap, and crop input packaging such as pesticide and fertilizer containers, seed bags, and large tote bags.

Most recently, it introduced a recycling program for maple tubing, gaining traction across Quebec. This growth stems from strong support from Cleanfarms’ members and the commitment of Canadian farmers embracing sustainable practices. With a 78% three-year recovery rate for its flagship recycling program for agricultural containers under 23L, and a network of more than 1,500 collection sites nationwide, Cleanfarms continues to make responsible agricultural waste management accessible to farmers from coast to coast.

“We are extremely proud of how far Cleanfarms has come in the last 15 years and value our partnerships with industry and farmers across the country,” said Barry Friesen, Executive Director of Cleanfarms. “But we have a long way to go. We expect soon to see more of the ag plastics we recycle come right back for use on the farm as we continue to build a strong and resilient circular economy for agricultural plastics in Canada.”

Boyd Bergstrom, Chair of the Cleanfarms Board, added: “This milestone reflects the dedication of Cleanfarms staff, our board members’ vision, our partners, and most importantly, the farmers who participate. These achievements stem from our shared commitment to responsible stewardship. We’re excited to further improve sustainability through our agricultural plastics recycling and recovery programs.”

Cleanfarms extends its sincere thanks to all farmers, industry partners, and stakeholders who have supported its initiatives and helped drive the organization’s success in building a more sustainable future for Canadian agriculture.