Illinois residents can dispose of unwanted agrichemicals for free this year through the Illinois Department of Agriculture’s (IDOA) agricultural pesticide “Clean Sweep” program. IDOA will host ten sites in central and southwestern Illinois.
“Clean Sweep” collections have been scheduled for Bond, Clinton, Fayette, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Marion, Monroe, Montgomery, and St. Clair counties. The collection, which rotates among Illinois counties, is open to farmers, retired farmers, nursery owners, private pesticide applicators, structural pest control applicators and landowners who inherited unwanted agricultural pesticides with their property.
“The Department is able to provide the service free of charge thanks to a grant obtained from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,” said Bureau Chief of Environmental Programs Brad Beaver. “We encourage folks to take advantage of these programs for two main reasons. Disposing of agrichemicals when done by individuals on their own can often be costly, so utilizing our “Clean Sweep” program can save our farmers some money. Secondly, the state of Illinois, not the program participant, will assume liability for the proper disposal of all materials collected.”
Participants must register the products they plan to dispose of by July 28. Registration is required to give the waste disposal contractor time to prepare for the different kinds of materials that will need to be handled. Forms can be obtained either by calling the Illinois Department of Agriculture’s Pesticide Hotline at 1-800-641-3934, on the IDOA website or by visiting one of the sponsors listed.
Source: wgel.com
Photo Credit: Illinois Department of Agriculture
Categories: Illinois, General