It’s in the Bag -Agricultural Plastics Recycling Workshop

Alberta Updates

The Problem

Alberta Market Forecast 2008

• Polyethylene• Silage Cover, Silage Bag, Bale Wrap,

Greenhouse Film• 4300 – 5200 tonnes• 9.5 million – 11.5 million pounds

• Polypropylene• Twines, cordage, net wrap, feed bags• 3000 – 4000 tonnes• 6.5 million – 9 million pounds

Future Market

• Volumes expected to increase– Grain bags– 40 – 50% more product baled in 2010

• May be trend away from net wrap back towards twine

Current Management

• Landfill–More landfills banning material

• Presents hazards to equipment

• Open Burning–Presents significant

air pollution issues• Bury on site• Recycling

Emissions

• Ag plastics burn easily but incompletely• Resulting pollutants:

– Heavy metals– Dioxins, furans– Carbon monoxide– Volatile organics

• Pollutants risk to health and environment– Bioaccumulate through food intake– Inhalation of smoke

Potential Solutions

Stakeholder Committee • Manufacturers• Distributors and Retailers• Waste Managers• Recyclers• Alberta Agriculture• Alberta Environment• Moose Jaw River Basin Watershed Group• Alberta Plastics Recycling Association• Recycling Council of Alberta

Conclusions• Plastics must be sorted at source by

resin type• Contamination must be minimized• Handling at collection sites

– Twine bagged– Film rolled or folded– Manual handling inefficient

• Generators keen• Education key• Large site variability• Economic incentive required

Pockets of Recycling

• Limited success• Market variability• Cost and capacity issues

Challenges for Recycling

• Collection infrastructure• Material contamination• Processing capacity• Markets• Costs

– Collection– Processing– Transportation

Communities Participating in Recycling 2010

• Mountain View• Olds• Rocky View

• Drumheller• Some generators taking material directly to

Crowfoot facility• Region may set up collection points

• Other regions interested in recycling but not fully absorbing financial burden

Crowfoot Facility

Market Opportunities

• Bridon Cordage expanding recycling program across U.S.– Pay 8 cents/ lb plus 7 cents/ lb freight

– Trials from Lethbridge currently being planned

Conclusions• Plastics must be sorted at source by

resin type• Contamination must be minimized• Handling at collection sites

– Twine bagged– Film rolled or folded

• Generators keen• Education key• Large site variability• Economic incentive required

Roles & Responsibilities• Industry

– Supply materials of known resin types– Provide funding through stewardship program

• Agricultural Community– sort plastic by resin type– keep material clean– deliver used plastics to collection sites

• Collection facilities– Keep material clean and separated– Densify for transport

• Recyclers– Remove residual contamination– Process for recycling

Recommendations• Development of local / regional

recycling capacity• Introduction of an industry stewardship

program

Christina SeidelRecycling Council of Alberta

www.recycle.ab.ca

Thank You