The numerous bags of baling twine sitting at the Dunmore Transfer Site will soon be recycled, through the Alberta Ag Plastic. Recycle It! program.--NEWS PHOTO KENDALL KING
kking@medicinehatnews.com
The province’s government announced Thursday it would be extending and providing additional funding to a two-year recycling pilot program, originally slated to end April 30.
The Alberta Ag Plastic. Recycle It! Program, which provides farmers the option of recycling grain bags and baler twine, began in 2019, with an original investment from the province of $1 million. The program, which has been granted an additional $115,000 in funding, is now scheduled to end in August 2023, with potential of renewal.
“We’ve been so impressed with participation in the pilot program, extending it even further was an easy decision,” Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Economic Development Minister Nate Horner said in a Thursday statement.
Since its inception, the program has recycled more than 1,700 tonnes of grain bag plastic and approximately 230 tonnes for baler twine.
Officials with Cypress County, which operates seven collection sites for the recycled materials, were glad to hear of the extension, as they have found many local farmers are on board with the program.
Currently, Cypress County only operates twine collection sites, as the county already offer grain bag rolling and recycling. Twine can be dropped off at transfer sites in Dunmore, Seven Persons, Irvine, Elkwater, Walsh and Schuler, as well as the Redcliff/Cypress Regional Landfill during operating hours.
