Pesticide Container Recycling Sites for July 19 - August 13, 2004

Ellen Phillips, Extension Educator - Crop Systems, Countryside Extension Center, 708-352-0109, ephillps@uiuc.edu.

The ag industry has made great progress in recent years to reduce the need for plastic pesticide containers by developing new technology like water-soluble packets and direct injection application systems. However, there still are a lot of containers that need to go somewhere when they are empty. Plastic pesticide containers are recycled into pallets, new pesticide containers, fence posts, roadside sign posts, drainage tile, sewage tile and numerous other uses. Recycling these containers keeps them from going to the landfill and protects the environment. For more information about how to prepare the containers for disposal check out the University of Illinois Pesticide Safety and Education program website at http://www.pesticidesafety.uiuc.edu/facts/facts.html.

To make the recycling process easier, each year the Illinois Department of Agriculture sets up one-day Pesticide Container Recycling Sites around the state. The table below list recycling sites for Northern Illinois. To find out where other sites will be held go to http://www.agr.state.il.us/Environment/recycle.html. Note that mini-bulk containers are NOT accepted at these sites. The Illinois Department of Agriculture is planning two mini-bulk recycling sites for later in 2004. Keep checking their website to find the dates and locations. There will also be a Clean Sweep for agricultural and structural pesticide disposal in Cook, DuPage and Kane Counties later this year. For more information about the programs, call the Illinois Department of Agriculture at 1-800-641-3934.