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Source: NCDA&CS, 7/27/12
The Pesticide Disposal Assistance Program of the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has collected and disposed of more than 2.7 million pounds of pesticides since 1980, keeping them out of water sources and landfills.
During the past fiscal year, the program collected 150,000 pounds of unwanted, out-dated, banned or obsolete pesticides from N.C. farmers and homeowners. The total is the highest collection for the program in five years.
“After more than 30 years, this program continues to protect the purity of the state’s valuable natural resources,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “We’ve seen a steady rise in collections over the years, which helps protect our drinking water, groundwater, streams, rivers and land.”
The Pesticide Disposal Assistance Program offers free environmentally friendly options for disposal of pesticides. The program conducts about 40 pesticide collection events each year in partnership with the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service and a hazardous materials contractor.
“We try to make the collection events as easy and convenient as possible,” said Program Manager J. Derrick Bell. “We’re in every county of the state once every other year and in a neighboring county every six to eight months.”
In addition, the program co-sponsors permanent household hazardous waste collection sites and one-day household hazardous waste collection events in more than 30 counties across the state. The program also assists with proper pesticide disposal before and following natural disasters.
Farmers and homeowners with unwanted pesticides can find upcoming collection events and more information about the program at www.ncagr.gov/PDAP.
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