The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) collects, by special events or through county cooperation, over a half million pounds of waste pesticides in Minnesota every year. The majority, more than three quarters of it, comes from households.
The Waste Pesticide Collection program pays the costs of disposal and receives funding from a surcharge on pesticide products sold in the state. Farm waste pesticides have greatly declined but household waste pesticides continue to increase, straining the budget. When deciding what to do with your unwanted pesticides, consider these suggestions:
-
Pesticides have a long shelf life when stored properly and remain effective. Products like Roundup® work even after freezing (freezes at -20°). - If the pesticide is still good, offer to family, friends or your neighbors.
- Can you use up the small amount left on the bottom of the package?
When purchasing the pesticide determine these factors:
- How much is really needed? Buying 2 packages may leave leftover that will become waste.
- Two for the price of one is no deal if one is unused and becomes a disposal liability.
- Size matters! Will you be able to use all the product up when targeting the pest? Is the smaller package more in line with the task?
Remember to REDUCE and REUSE whenever possible. When the determination is made that the product is unusable, bring it to your HHW facility for disposal. Proper treatment of hazardous waste is important but minimizing the waste should be everybody’s goal.
