Participating garden centres across Ontario are working with environmentally responsible gardeners to collect and recycle plastic plant pots, plant packs, and trays during the 2011 National Plastic Recycling Event, June 25 to July 4.

This initiative is led by Landscape Ontario, who pioneered the program in 2008 with a small pilot project, and allows gardeners to drop off clean, dry garden plastics at designated garden centres. The program has been expanded across the country - 6 provinces are participating - and this year over 25 garden centres across Ontario are donating space, time and staff to help keep horticultural plastic out of landfill sites.

"It is important for the original green industry to set an example," says Tony DiGiovanni, Executive Director at Landscape Ontario. "This program helps our members - the garden centres, growers, landscapers - in their collective journey to "green" the horticultural industry. We look forward to a successful event and to expanding the plastic recycling program across Ontario."

Plastix Canada and Agricultural Plastic Recyclers, in conjunction with ITML/Myers Lawn and Garden, will be supporting this initiative by providing transportation and recycling at no charge. CleanFARMS™, a nonprofit industry stewardship organization that manages agricultural waste and packaging, is also assisting garden centres and nurseries in the stewardship of garden plastics.

"We know from the success of our empty pesticide container recycling program and obsolete pesticide collection initiatives that Canadians want to be environmentally responsible," says Barry Friesen, general manager of CleanFARMS™. "We are pleased to work with the landscape industry to give gardeners programming to properly manage garden waste." For more information on the CleanFARMS™ recycling initiatives, please visit www.CleanFARMS.ca.

A list of participating garden centres and nurseries is available at www.landscapeontario.com/recycle2011.

Members of the public are invited to consult the map for the nearest location. Help your neighbourhood retailer by separating pots and trays based on 3 different plastic types: #2, PE material for nursery containers, #5, PP material for flower pots, baskets, web trays, and #6, PS material for shuttle trays, bedding plant trays and inserts. By keeping the plastics separated, this will help us recycle the plastic faster and re-use it in the fabrication of new plastic pots or other items.