By Sharon Dowdy
University of Georgia, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
Georgia residents can safely dispose of old pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers and other chemicals at the Clean Day, set for Thursday, Nov. 12, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Brooks County Extension office in Quitman, Georgia.
Clean Days are organized by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, with funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These chemical collection events allow farmers and homeowners to legally dispose of old pesticides or pesticides that are no longer appropriate for use.
Examples of materials accepted at the Clean Day include insecticides, growth regulators, fungicides, harvest aid chemicals, nematicides, bactericides and herbicides. Excluded materials include compressed gases, solvents, paints, antifreeze, motor oil, explosive materials and fertilizers that are neither hazardous nor contain pesticides.
The event was organized specifically for residents in Cook, Brooks, Lowndes and Thomas counties, but other Georgians will not be turned away if they choose to preregister and drive their chemicals to the drop-off location.
There is no charge to participate in the Clean Day program, but participants must complete a preregistration form that includes a list of the chemicals they wish to dispose of at the event. It typically costs between $2 and $3 per pound to dispose of waste pesticides.
Preregistration is required and forms may be requested by calling the University of Georgia Extension office in Brooks County at (229) 263-4103 or emailing Andrea Duncan at uge4027@uga.edu.
Source:uga.edu