Tag Archives: environment

Grain bag recycling program extended

Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart announced funding of $100,000 to extend the Grain Bag Recycling Pilot Project into 2014. The announcement was made April 16.

The program includes recycling for both grain bags and twine.

“The high level of farmer participation in this project demonstrates the importance of responsibly disposing grain bags,” said Ritz. “Our government is proud to continue to partner with the Government of Saskatchewan to support this program for producers.”

“We are pleased to extend the Grain Bag Recycling Pilot Project until a permanent program is implemented,” Stewart said. “With increasing use of grain bags to store the record crop from last year’s harvest, we want farmers to continue to have an option to responsibly dispose of their bags.”

The Grain Bag Recycling Pilot Project was first implemented in March 2011. Since inception, approximately 325,800 kg of plastic (2,172 bags) and 6,600 kg of twine has been recycled.

The Ministry of Environment is currently working on the creation of regulations that will form the basis for an industry-led, permanent recycling program for 2015. The Grain Bag Recycling Pilot Project is administered by Simply Agriculture Solutions Inc. (formerly the Provincial Council of Agriculture Development and Diversification Boards) and funded through the federal-provincial Growing Forward 2 framework.

“Simply Agriculture Solutions looks forward to continuing to provide an environmentally responsible solution for the disposal of the grain bags and twine and working with producers across the province as we incorporate additional plastics (silage plastic and net wrap) into the pilot program,” Agricultural Plastic Recycling Co-ordinator Travis Quirk said.

Farmers and ranchers can access collection sites across the province in a number of locations, including Unity, SK.

For more information, producers can contact Simply Agriculture Solutions Inc. toll-free at 1-866-298-7222.

Waste Reduction Week coming up

Environment Minister Ken Cheveldayoff has proclaimed October 21-27 as Waste Reduction Week in Saskatchewan, marking the 13th time the province has joined the nation in recognizing the week.

With an emphasis on engaging Canadians, Waste Reduction Week aims to inspire communities throughout the province and across the country to take a more conscientious approach toward the protection, preservation and enhancement of our environment.

“Saskatchewan has some of the most effective and successful recycling programs in the country,” Cheveldayoff said. “Thanks to our recycling programs for used beverage containers, oil, tires, paint and electronics, more than 48,000 tonnes and 19 million litres of waste materials were diverted from our landfills in 2012. However, there is still more to do when it comes to reducing waste and increasing recycling habits.”

“Too Good to Waste”, the theme for Waste Reduction Week, aligns with the government’s growth plan to sustain economic growth while protecting the environment and maintaining Saskatchewan’s excellent quality of life.

“We’re thrilled that the Ministry of Environment has proclaimed Waste Reduction Week,” Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council Executive Director Joanne Fedyk said. “Waste Reduction Week is a great opportunity to celebrate our accomplishments and to adopt new waste-reducing habits so that we can work toward a waste-free Saskatchewan.”

Waste Reduction Week in Saskatchewan is organized by the Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council. For more information, visit www.saskwastereduction.ca.

Air quality monitoring coming to Unity

The Western Yellowhead Air Management Zone Inc. will be placing a permanent air monitoring device just outside Unity sometime later this month. The instrument will be calibrated the following month and should be operational by the end of November.

Once the system is fully operational, results will be available to the public, as well as to government and industry.

About the size of a small refrigerator or filing cabinet, the airpointer system can measure a wide variety of pollutants including carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, ozone, sulphur dioxide, H2S, volatile organic compounds and particulate matter. With components that also measure temperature, wind speed and wind direction, analysts will also be able to tell where any pollutants are coming from.

The WYAMZ website explains: “An air zone association is intended to operate as an independent, collaborative non-profit organization of industry, government and other representatives for the purpose of collecting credible, continuous air quality data, and to communicate data and information to member organizations, the government, and the public.”

WYAMZ was set up with the support of the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment and is funded by its members, which includes many private industry entities as well as government. Executive director Terry Gibson explained each industrial partner is invoiced according to their specific environmental footprint under a formula developed by the Ministry of Environment. The environmental footprint takes into account emissions and production volumes.

Gibson said participation in the air monitoring zone is of benefit to industry as it allows them to be proactive in preventing environmental damage. “Businesses want to be good corporate citizens,” he said. They spend a lot of money on scrubbers and other equipment and technology to reduce emissions and monitoring air quality helps to let them know what is working and what isn’t.

Gibson says, “The Western Yellowhead Air Management Zone is committed to monitoring the air quality in the region to protect the citizens and environment.” He encourages people to visit their website at www.wyamz.ca for more information.

Check out the Oct. 14 issue of the Unity-Wilkie Press-Herald for additional details.