Industry Putting Stewardshipfirst™
Everyone involved with crop protection methods – from manufacturers of pesticides, to growers, to the government regulators – want to ensure that pest control products are used in responsible, targeted ways that take into consideration the recycling of empty pesticide containers and collection and disposal of unusable pesticides on the farm. The proper management of crop protection products is a key step in ensuring the sustainability and viability of Canadian agriculture.
Over and above the strict regulations set by federal and provincial governments, the industry has adopted voluntary initiatives that all members of CropLife Canada practice to further protect people and the environment.
CropLife Canada’s stewardshipfirst™ programs lead the world in the agrichemical industry and serve as best practices for other industries to take broader responsibility for improving environmental stewardship. These programs include manufacturing standards, mandatory agrichemical warehousing standards, promotion of integrated pest management techniques, training and certification for industry staff, joint programs with Federal and Provincial governments for the collecting and safely disposing of obsolete pesticides. The industry’s container management has been particularly successful. Currently, producers across Canada return on a voluntary basis approximately 70% of all containers shipped into the market, the highest percentage return rate in the world.
There are a number of tangible benefits that have already resulted from the stewardshipfirst™ initiatives including:
- Fifty-five million empty pesticide containers have been removed from the rural environment – all recycled;
- Cleaner, safer Canadian farms and farm communities with the removal of over 650,000 kg of obsolete products
- Storing agricultural pest control products in certified warehouses under stringent environmental and health protection criteria;
- Employees certified in pest-control management; and
- Reduction of environmental and health incidents in the warehousing and manufacturing sectors.