Business Community Can Dispose of Obsolete Pesticides at Collection Events to be held in North Kingstown and Middletown
PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management's Division of Agriculture will hold two collection events in April for businesses to properly dispose of obsolete pesticides. Among the products eligible for the take-back are those that are no longer able to be used for their intended purposes because they may have become caked, frozen or dried out, along with unregistered and banned pesticides.
The two collection events, which are open to all agricultural and commercial pesticide applicators (i.e. pest control and landscaping companies) will take place at RIDOT facilities in North Kingstown and Middletown. They will be held on Wednesday, April 23 at the RIDOT Garage located at 439 Tower Hill Road in North Kingstown; and Thursday, April 24 at the RIDOT Garage located at 122 Wyatt Road in Middletown. Materials will be accepted from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at each of the events, and participants are asked to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to closing. Triumvirate Environmental, a licensed hazardous waste contractor, will take possession of the obsolete pesticides at each collection event and properly dispose of them. Containers up to five gallons in size will be accepted.
The goal of this program, which is funded by the US Environmental Protection Agency, is to collect obsolete, unusable pesticides and properly dispose of them in order to avoid any potential contamination that could result from these hazardous materials. It is not uncommon for these materials to accumulate when once-registered products become unregistered or banned; uses and target pests are removed from labels; and when the pesticides simply outlive their shelf life. There is no cost to the holders of the pesticides who bring them in for disposal. Last fall, during the program's pilot year, three successful collection events for the agricultural community were held. Forty-nine 55-gallon drums and 11 wranglers – a box about the size of a large washing machine – containing obsolete pesticides were collected and properly disposed of at the events.
DEM offers the following packaging and transportation guidelines for those bringing outdated pesticide products to the collection events:
? Pesticides should not be transported in the passenger area of a vehicle; instead, place them in the trunk or truck bed. However, if you must transport pesticides in a station wagon or van, secure them in the back, away from passengers and pets and open the side windows.
? Do not place pesticides with groceries or other household items.
? Never leave pesticides unattended in an unlocked trunk or open truck bed where they may come in contact with children or others.
? Make sure pesticide container lids are securely fastened. Secure containers in an upright position to ensure they cannot fall or be knocked over.
? Dry materials must be wrapped in plastic bags and placed in cardboard cartons or plastic buckets. Liquids must be put into plastic containers with newspaper.
? Be sure to attach labels to containers. Materials in containers larger than five gallons will not be accepted at the collection site.
Additional take-back events for businesses may be scheduled in 2014, if needed.
Information about the program is available on DEM's website at http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/bnatres/agricult/pesticidecollection.htm. For questions, call Howard Cook in DEM's Division of Agriculture at 222-2781 extension 4504, or contact him via email at howard.cook@dem.ri.gov.