The County of Stettler Agricultural Services Board (ASB) has approved participating in a Cleanfarms pilot project to collect and recycle silage plastic and plastic bale wrap at its regular council meeting on Sept.16.

Cleanfarms is seeking four to six Alberta municipalities for a trial expected to run from fall 2026 through December 2027. The project will test producer participation, municipal operating costs and whether the collection system could support a permanent recycling program.

A trailer-mounted compactor will rotate among participating municipalities approximately every four to six months. The county will organize local collection activities, operate the compactor and prepare the plastic for transportation.

Cleanfarms will supply the compactor, educational materials, transportation co-ordination and recycling services. It will also administer the pilot.

Participating municipalities will receive $205 per tonne collected. That amount includes $150 per tonne for collection and compacting and a $55-per-tonne material incentive. Cleanfarms said the payment is intended to offset some collection, labour, storage and equipment costs, but is not expected to cover every municipal expense.

County administration estimated each collection period could require one to four days of staff time. One employee using a three-quarter-ton or one-ton truck could carry out the work, depending on producer participation.

Council discussed that the county already receives requests from cattle and livestock producers seeking a recycling option for silage plastic and that they currently accept grain bags and twine, but silage plastic has sometimes been mixed with grain bag collections, causing problems for the existing program.

Board members questioned how much feed, dirt, ice and other material could remain attached to silage plastic. Staff said producers may have to shake debris from the plastic as it is placed in the compactor. Determining how much contamination the recycling system can handle will be one part of the trial.

Coun. Justin Stevens also raised concerns about labour costs and asked whether the county could eventually charge producers for farm pickup while allowing plastic to be delivered to a central collection point without a pickup fee.

Administration proposed beginning with three or four volunteer producers to determine how long collection takes, how the plastic must be prepared and whether additional fees may be required. The board did not approve a producer fee at the meeting.

Other board members noted producers already have to load and transport the material when taking it to a landfill. They said delivering it to a county collection point could provide a recycling option without placing the full collection burden on municipal staff.

The pilot will accept plastic bale wrap, plastic silage tubes and covers used on silage pits. Net wrap is not included.

Council moved that the county partner with Cleanfarms on the demonstration project.