While pesticide use is a reality for many farms, Manitoba farmers are taking steps to protect the land and water by avoiding the careless dumping of chemical waste.
Over 51,158 kilograms of unwanted and obsolete agricultural pesticides—enough to fill approximately four semi-trailers—have been safely and environmentally disposed of, thanks to farmers who turned in the products last fall.
Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives Agriculture Sustainability Initiative Fund and Manitoba Conservation’s Sustainable Development Innovations Fund partnered with CropLife Canada to finance the Manitoba collection, with the province providing half of the total cost of just over $157,000. The collection was part of CropLife Canada’s stewardship first program which promotes safe and responsible use of crop protection products.
“As responsible stewards of the land, farmers are careful not to contaminate their land or water by carelessly dumping chemical waste, so their only option is to store it,” said Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives Minister Rosann Wowchuk. “This disposal program helps provide a solution to that problem.”
All of the obsolete pesticide was then taken to a federally licensed disposal facility in Swan Hills, Alberta where it is disposed of through high temperature incineration.
CropLife Canada’s obsolete collection program rotates across Canadian provinces and has collected more than 1.5 million kgs of obsolete pesticides since 1998. The program was last held in Manitoba in 2003 and 2004, during which time over 92,000 kilograms was collected.
