BC farmers invited to safely dispose of livestock meds

September 29, 2017, Victoria, B.C. – British Columbia farmers are invited to safely and responsibly dispose of their unwanted or obsolete pesticides and livestock (including equine) medications from October 3 through 19, 2017.

In partnership with the Canadian Animal Health Institute (CAHI), Cleanfarms, an industry-led, national not-for-profit environmental stewardship organization, is offering this program at no cost to farmers.

The obsolete pesticide and livestock/equine medication collection program is a national program that comes to each province every three years. In between collections periods, farmers are asked to safely store their unwanted pesticides and livestock medications until they can properly dispose of them through the program.

“British Columbia farmers are environmentally conscious and are pleased to partner with Cleanfarms to safely dispose of obsolete pesticides and livestock medications,” Stan Vander Waal, chair of the British Columbia Agriculture Council, said in a press release. “The Cleanfarms collection program provides an excellent one-stop service for British Columbia farmers to continue to protect the land.”

Farmers in British Columbia have a long history of good stewardship practices. Since 1998, British Columbia farmers have turned in more than 282,000 kilograms of obsolete pesticides since program inception, and 47,000 kilograms during last collection in 2014 and 2015. Farmers across the province also turned in more than 500 kilograms of livestock medication in 2014 and 2015.

“British Columbia has a history of successful collections,” Barry Friesen, general manager of Cleanfarms, said. “The participation of British Columbia farmers shows they are good stewards of their land and committed to protecting the environment.”

After collection, the pesticides and medications are taken to a licensed waste management facility where they are disposed of through high temperature incineration.

The following locations will be accepting obsolete pesticides and livestock/equine medications from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on the dates specified:

VICTORIA
October 3, 2017
Capital Regional District
Hartland Landfill
1 Hartland Avenue
T: 250-360-3030

DUNCAN
October 4, 2017
Bings Creek
Recycling Centre
3900 Drinkwater Road
T: 250-746-2540

COURTENAY
October 5, 2017
Comox Valley Waste
Management Centre
3699 Bevan Road
Cumberland
T: 250-334-6000

DELTA
October 10 and 11, 2017
Crop Production Services
Evergro
7430 Hopcott Road
T: 604-940-0290

ABBOTSFORD
October 17 and 18, 2017
Univar Agriculture
3256 McCallum Road
T: 604-859-4919

PEMBERTON
October 19, 2017
Squamish-Lilloett Regional
District Transfer Station
1947 Carpenter Road
T: 604-894-6371 Ext. 236