WHEREAS there are many grain farmers across Saskatchewan now using the large plastic grain bags to contain their yearly crops; and 

WHEREAS in order to keep our environment clean and our waste facilities free of this recyclable material; and  

WHEREAS we find more and more of these coming into our environmental areas; 

BE IT RESOLVED that SARM lobby the Provincial Government to access companies or industry to recycle this product in order to keep our environment and waste facilities environmentally friendly.

Response from Honourable Nancy Heppner, Minister of Environment:

The ministry is developing stewardship programs on a priority basis. The highest priorities for program development in the immediate future are household hazardous waste and multi-material recycling for household packaging including plastics, tin, glass and printed paper. Once these priority issues are dealt with, the ministry will begin considering the feasibility of an industry-funded stewardship program, take-back or other program for the management of plastic grain bags.

Consultation and collaboration with industry (i.e. manufacturers, brand owners, and distributors) will be necessary in order to develop an industry stewardship program for the take back or recycling of these bags, and it will require some time and effort to see if such a program can be developed and implemented.