NCDA&CS recently hit a milestone with the Pesticide Disposal Assistance Program, keeping five (5) million pounds of unwanted pesticides out of the landfill and ensuring they are properly disposed of. The Pesticide Disposal Program began in 1980 and strong collection efforts this year in Columbus, Sampson, and Wake counties helped move the program over the 5-million-pound mark.
- In late summer, our Pesticide Disposal Assistance Program recently reached an impressive milestone of keeping 5 million pounds of unwanted pesticides out of the landfill and ensuring they are being properly disposed of.
- This program started back in 1980 and while it took 40 years to collect the first 4 million pounds of pesticides, as more people started to learn about the program and use it, we have been able to collect another million pounds in just the past five years.
- I am still a little amazed at the types of pesticides that are still being collected today.
- Typically, every year the program picks up some long-banned pesticides from the 1950s and 60s, plus plenty more current ones that are no longer being used.
- The program typically partners with county cooperative extension offices and county government offices to hold 35 to 40 pesticide collection events across the state each year.
- That means residents can mostly find a pesticide disposal event in their county or a nearby county each year.
- Before 2019, the program averaged collecting around 160,000 pounds a year. In the past five years that number jumped to averaging nearly 197,000 pounds per year.
- The program set a record in 2022 when it collected 217,476 pounds in a single year.
- This is a completely voluntary program, but farmers want to do the right thing with these unused products, and we see that every year.
- I am extremely proud that we are able to keep these unwanted products out of the landfills and that when they are disposed of, it is done the right way.
- To find out more about the pesticide disposal assistance program including a schedule of upcoming events, go to www.ncagr.gov/PDAP