What Cleanfarms does

Cleanfarms is a Canadian not-for-profit agricultural producer responsibility organization (PRO) founded in 2010 and headquartered in Etobicoke, Ontario, with regional offices in Lethbridge (AB), Moose Jaw (SK), Etobicoke/Toronto (ON), St-Bruno/AgriRÉCUP (QC), and Winnipeg/Minnedosa (MB). The organization operates ten recycling and collection programs targeting agricultural plastics including pesticide and fertilizer containers (under 23L and totes/drums), seed and pesticide bags, grain bags, bale wrap and silage plastics, baler twine, and maple tubing, plus a rotating Unwanted Pesticides and Old Livestock/Equine Medications (UPLM) disposal program. Service is delivered through a network of over 1,500 collection sites across all ten Canadian provinces, including 1,300+ agricultural retail sites and municipal landfills/transfer stations, supported by online collection management systems and a large-volume ag plastics pickup service.

Cleanfarms' technology and innovation focus centers on collection logistics, material processing, and closed-loop recycling. Proprietary innovations include specialized agricultural plastic compactors designed for different ranch operations and hydraulic equipment, repurposed intermediate bulk container (IBC) cage systems that enable one-person transport of agricultural plastics, and R&D into refillable container bases made from recycled agricultural plastic. In 2024, the organization signed an MOU with Aduro Clean Technologies to explore commercial pathways for challenging-to-recycle agricultural plastics. Programs are free to farmers, with funding provided by industry members (crop protection, seed, fertilizer, animal health medication, peat moss, animal bedding, feed, ag plastics, and maple tubing companies) under Canada's Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework. Cleanfarms was designated Quebec's official Recognized Management Organization (AgriRÉCUP) in 2022.

Cumulatively, Cleanfarms has diverted over 100 million kg of agricultural materials from landfills since inception, with its flagship pesticide/fertilizer container program achieving recovery rates above 80%. In 2025, the organization processed 2.5 million kg of pesticide/fertilizer containers (a 13% year-over-year increase) and 1.1 million kg of tote bags, while expanding container recycling coverage to Newfoundland for the first time. Founding Executive Director Barry Friesen retired in April 2026 after 15 years, succeeded by Shane Hedderson (formerly Western Region Director) as Interim Executive Director. The organization is governed by a Board chaired by Boyd Bergstrom and holds multiple industry recognitions, including CropLife Canada's Stewardship Award and Great Place to Work Canada certification.

Name

Cleanfarms

Legal name

Cleanfarms

Website

https://cleanfarms.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cleanfarms is a Canadian not-for-profit agricultural producer responsibility organization that operates ten recycling programs and 1,500+ collection sites across all ten provinces, funded by industry members under EPR to help farmers recycle agricultural plastics and safely dispose of obsolete pesticides and livestock medications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Plastics Recycling & Stewardship

NAICS

Materials Recovery Facilities (56292), Waste Collection (56211), Remediation and Other Waste Management Services (5629)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953)

akta.pro primary industry

Packaging Recovery & Closed-Loop Programs (Take-Back, Deposit-Return, EPR Support) (IMALAMAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Circular Economy & Waste/Materials Reporting (Zero waste, packaging) (EUAHAJAL), Universal Waste Management (Batteries, Lamps, Mercury-Containing) (BPALAHAL)

Keywords

• Agricultural plastics recycling
• Producer responsibility programs
• Extended producer responsibility
• Pesticide container recovery
• Agricultural waste management

Headquarters

HQ city

Etobicoke

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) fees: Cleanfarms is funded by its members in the crop protection, seed, fertilizer, animal health medication, peat moss, animal bedding, feed, ag plastics, and maple tubing industries. The organization operates under the extended producer responsibility (EPR) model where industry members fund stewardship programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Cleanfarms is a Canadian not-for-profit Producer Responsibility Organization that operates ten national programs to collect, recover, and recycle agricultural plastics and hazardous farm inputs on behalf of its industry members. Funded under the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) model, it provides free container, tote/drum, grain bag, twine, silage plastic, maple tubing, bag, and obsolete pesticide/animal medication collection services to Canadian farmers through over 1,500 sites, then processes materials through closed-loop recycling into new products.

Product overview

Cleanfarms is a Canadian not-for-profit agricultural producer responsibility organization that operates a portfolio of recycling and collection programs for agricultural plastics and related products. The core offering consists of ten permanent programs including the flagship pesticide and fertilizer container recycling program (under 23L), tote and drum recycling, unwanted pesticides and livestock medications collection, grain bags recycling, twine recycling, silage plastics recycling, and bags recycling. Provincial programs include the Alberta Ag-Plastic. Recycle It! pilot and maple tubing recycling in Quebec. Supporting services include online collection management systems, large volume pickup services, and the Great Twine Round-Up incentive contest. These programs work together to help Canadian farmers divert agricultural waste from landfills and enable circular economy solutions for the agricultural sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Containers up to 23L Recycling Program Flagship recycling program for pesticide and fertilizer containers under 23 liters, achieving over 80% recovery rates and operating coast-to-coast across all Canadian provinces for farmers and ag retailers.
• Totes & Drums Recycling Program National collection and recycling program for large non-deposit plastic totes and drums used for pesticides and fertilizers across Canadian agriculture.
• Unwanted Pesticides & Old Livestock/Equine Medications Program (UPLM) Safe disposal program for obsolete agricultural pesticides and livestock/equine medications, operating through rotating collection events across Canadian provinces on a three-year cycle.
• Bags & Large Tote Bags Recycling National collection program for seed bags, pesticide bags, and large tote bags used in agricultural operations across Canada.
• Grain Bags Recycling Program Collection and recycling of agricultural grain bags and plastic film used for grain storage across the Canadian Prairies.
• Twine Recycling Program Collection and recycling of plastic baler twine used in Canadian agricultural operations, with dedicated programs in Alberta promoted through contests.
• Silage Plastics Recycling Program Collection and recycling of bale wrap, silage bags, bunker covers, and silage plastic used to protect livestock feed on Canadian farms.
• Maple Tubing Recycling (Quebec) Collection and recycling of maple sap tubing in Quebec, operated as part of the province's Extended Producer Responsibility program (AgriRÉCUP).
• Alberta Ag-Plastic. Recycle It! Program Multi-year stewardship program in Alberta, in partnership with the Agricultural Plastics Recycling Group (APRG) and funded by the Government of Alberta, to recycle agricultural grain bags, twine, silage plastic, and bale wrap.
• Large Volume Ag Plastics & Packaging Pickup Service Specialized on-farm pickup service for large volumes of agricultural plastics and packaging, requested by farmers via the online pickup request module.
• Cleanfarms Online Collection Management System Web-based operations platform for collection sites to manage container, bag, grain bag, and twine collection logistics, with separate contractor and reporting portals.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 80% recovery rate for pesticide and fertilizer containers under 23L
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered regional, exploratory, core, key, pilot and community.

• Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD)regionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025Launched agricultural plastics recycling pilot program running from June 2025 through December 2028, supported by four-year TNRD funding commitment. Ranches recycle bale wrap, silage bags, and covers through loaning of compactors.
• Aduro Clean TechnologiesexploratoryTechnology or Integration · 8 May 2024Signed MOU to collaborate on development of commercial pathway for challenging agricultural plastics. Exploring technology solutions for plastics that are difficult to recycle.
• Peace River Regional DistrictregionalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Renewed agricultural plastics recycling program in British Columbia's Peace Region. Program began in 2021 and has diverted over 55 tonnes of used agricultural twine and grain bags from landfills.
• Agricultural Plastics Recycling Group (APRG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partnership with APRG to operate the 'Alberta Ag-Plastic. Recycle It!' program for recycling agricultural grain bags, twine, and expanding to silage plastic and bale wrap. APRG is a multi-stakeholder group formed in 2016/2017 including commodity groups, retailers, municipalities, academic institutions, recyclers, and farmers.
• Alberta Beef ProducerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdministers Government of Alberta funding for the Alberta Ag-Plastic Recycle It! program. Key partner in agricultural plastics recycling initiatives in Alberta.
• Canadian Animal Health Institute (CAHI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership since 2014 to include obsolete farm animal medications in the Unwanted Pesticides collection program. CAHI members cover costs of the medications disposal portion of the UPLM program.
• Dairy Farmers of CanadakeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through the Here for Tomorrow campaign supporting agricultural plastics recycling from Canadian dairy farms. Provides funding and support for pilot programs in dairy regions.
• Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD)regionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership expanded the Agassiz pilot program into Chilliwack region. FVRD and BC Ministry of Agriculture funding enabled purchase of additional compactors for Fraser Valley farms.
• Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council (SWRC)keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership (over a decade) with SWRC on field research in Saskatchewan. SWRC summer students assist with waste characterization studies, rinse rate audits, and promotion of proper recycling practices.
• Island Waste Management Corporation (IWMC)regionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with IWMC for agricultural waste collection programs in Prince Edward Island. IWMC operates 6 Waste Watch Drop-Off Centers accepting agricultural bale and silage wrap and empty fertilizer bags.
• Douglas Lake Cattle CompanypilotStrategic or Co-development PartnerLargest working ranch in Canada, participating in TNRD-Cleanfarms Agricultural Plastics Recycling Pilot Program. Received compactor for bale wrap and silage plastic recycling.
• Nicola RanchpilotStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipating ranch in TNRD-Cleanfarms Agricultural Plastics Recycling Pilot Program northeast of Merritt, BC.
• Frolek Cattle CompanypilotStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-location cattle operation near Kamloops participating in TNRD-Cleanfarms Agricultural Plastics Recycling Pilot Program.
• Regional District of Bulkley-NechakoregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorthern BC regional district with 6 transfer stations collecting ag plastics (bale wrap, twine, silage film). After pilot conclusion, sold compactors to TNRD for reuse in their pilot program.
• KivacommunityOthersCleanfarms team members contribute to Kiva microloans supporting agricultural entrepreneurs globally. Organization leader matches staff donations, amplifying collective impact.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Ag Container Recycling Council (ACRC): US-based agricultural plastics producer responsibility organization for pesticide and fertilizer container recycling. Closest international counterpart to Cleanfarms' flagship program, operating the same PRO-funded, retailer-collection-site model in the US agricultural market.
• Product Care Association: Canadian producer responsibility organization managing stewardship programs for paints, solvents, lighting, and other HHW streams. Operates the same EPR/producer-funded model as Cleanfarms and was founded/led by Cleanfarms' founder Barry Friesen in a prior role.
• Stewardship Ontario: Ontario's Industry Funding Organization operating under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act for blue box and other stewardships. Closest Ontario PRO peer using identical EPR dues-funded model across overlapping producer categories.
• Call2Recycle: Canadian stewardship organization operating battery and cell-phone recycling programs under EPR in multiple provinces. Direct peer in producer-funded, retailer-network-driven stewardship with overlapping member-company base.
• Éco Entreprises Québec: Quebec PRO responsible for curbside recycling compensation under the province's EPR modernization. Peer in the same Quebec regulatory framework that also designates Cleanfarms/AgriRÉCUP as RMO.
• Multi-Material Stewardship Manitoba (MMSM): Manitoba producer responsibility organization managing printed paper and packaging recycling under provincial EPR. Direct PRO peer operating in one of the same jurisdictions where Cleanfarms manages ag-plastics obligations.
• Multi-Material Stewardship Western (MMSW): Western Canadian producer responsibility organization managing packaging and printed paper recycling under Saskatchewan and other prairie EPR frameworks. Provincial PRO peer to Cleanfarms in overlapping Prairie regions.

Regional players

• Recyc-Québec: Quebec government agency responsible for regulating and overseeing recycling and EPR programs in the province. Counterparty regulator and complementary actor to Cleanfarms' AgriRÉCUP Quebec operations.

Broad incumbents

• TerraCycle: Global hard-to-recycle waste services company operating producer-funded and brand-sponsored recycling programs. Comparable circular-economy mission with broader material scope than Cleanfarms' ag-plastics focus.

Emerging players

• Circular Materials (formerly CCC): New national Canadian PRO for residential PPP recycling created under Ontario's RRCEA transition. Emerging peer increasingly competing with established PROs and a signal of how Canadian stewardship frameworks are evolving.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/@cleanfarms
• Facebookfacebook.com/cleanfarms
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cleanfarms-agrirecup

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cleanfarms