UNL CropWatch April 30, 2010: 40 Sites Offer Pesticide Container Recycling

UNL CropWatch April 30, 2010: 40 Sites Offer Pesticide Container Recycling

April 30, 2010

Forty Nebraska locations are accepting empty, plastic pesticide containers for recycling as part of a UNL Extension program.

The UNL program helps recycle 1- and 2.5-gallon plastic pesticide containers and 15-, 30- and 55-gallon plastic crop protection chemical drums, said UNL pesticide safety educator Clyde Ogg who coordinates the program for NU’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

A full list of recycling sites, guidelines, and program information is on UNL’s Pesticide Education Resources web site at http://pested.unl.edu/recycling.

Plastic from collected containers is turned into industrial and consumer products such as shipping pallets, drain tile, dimension lumber, and parking lot tire bumpers. Last year, the UNL program helped recycle about 25 tons of containers, contributing to a 18-year total of about 950 tons of containers, Ogg said.

“Knowledge of the program, plus teamwork and cooperation have always formed a base for this very successful program,” Ogg said, citing cooperation from UNL Extension Educators and collection site managers statewide.

“Most of the (collection) sites are at agricultural chemical dealerships or community recycling centers, which volunteer to take on this additional responsibility,” he said, adding “Every pesticide container collected through this program is one less that might otherwise be improperly disposed of.”

The program accepts pressure-rinsed or triple-rinsed 1- and 2.5-gallon plastic pesticide containers. They must be clean and drained, inside and out. Caps, labels and slipcover plastic labels must be removed since they cannot be recycled as part of the program. They should be disposed of as solid waste.

Of the 40 sites, 24 accept 15-, 30- and 55-gallon plastic crop protection chemical, crop oil, and adjuvant drums. These drums must be thoroughly rinsed before delivery to collection sites and should not be cut or opened in any way. Seven sites collect year-around, 14 collect from May through August, 13 collect on specific dates, and six are by appointment only.

Mini-bulk, saddle tanks, and nurse tanks, which can be made of fiberglass or plastics not compatible with the recycling program, are not accepted.

Before delivery to collection sites, containers and drums should be cleaned, rinsed, and drained. Rinsate should be returned to the spray tank. Booklets, caps and plastic shrink-wraps from containers should be removed and properly disposed of. Glued-on paper labels can be left on the container.

This program is funded by a national coalition of agri-chemical manufacturers through the Agricultural Container Recycling Council, Washington, D.C.

Steven Ress
Communications Coordinator, UNL Water Center

Collection Sites

County collection sites are listed by category  below. Sites accepting 15-, 30- and 55-gallon plastic drums are noted.

Yearlong Collection

Buffalo: Kearney Recycling Center, Kearney, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; accepts drums
Cuming: Helena Chemical Company, Oakland, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; no drums, and West Point Transfer Station, West Point, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; accepts drums
Dawes: Solid Waste Association of Northwest Nebraska, Chadron, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Dawson: All Points Cooperative, Lexington, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; accepts drums
Scotts Bluff: Gering Landfill, Gering, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.; accepts drums
Washington: Washington County Recycling Center, Blair, Saturday 8 a.m. to noon; accepts drums

May-August Collection

Antelope: Central Valley Ag Coop, Brunswick, Clearwater, Elgin, Neligh, and Tilden
Butler: Frontier Coop (Yanka), David City
Colfax: Schuyler Cooperative, Richland
Gage: Crop Production Services, Beatrice; accepts drums. Southeast Nebraska Cooperative, Beatrice
Hamilton: Midwest Ag Partners, Marquette
Sarpy: Gretna Farmers Coop, Gretna; accepts drums
Saunders: Frontier Cooperative, Mead; accepts drums and Crop Production Services, Ashland; accepts drums
Stanton: Farmers Cooperative, Pilger; accepts drums

Scheduled Collection Dates

Adams: Cooperative Producers Inc., Juniata, Aug. 12 and 13, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; accepts drums
Clay: Cooperative Producers Inc., Sutton, Aug. 19 and 20, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; accepts drums
Dakota: Central Valley Ag, Emerson, June and July, Wednesdays, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. (except holidays); Central Valley Ag, South Sioux City, June and July, Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to noon (except holidays); both sites accept drums
Dixon: Central Valley Ag., Newcastle, May 13 and 27, June 10 and 24, July 8 and 22, August 12 and 26, 8:00 to noon. Central Valley Ag., Wakefield, June 9 and 23, July 7 and 21, Aug. 6, 1-4 p.m.
Dodge: Frontier Cooperative, North Bend, Fridays, 8-4 p.m. June through October; accepts drums
Hamilton: Aurora Cooperative Elevator, Aurora, July 26 to July 30, 8 a.m. to noon each day, and Cooperative Producers Inc., Giltner, Aug. 4 and 5, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Kearney: Cooperative Producers Inc., Minden, Aug. 10 and 11, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; accepts drums
Lancaster: Farmers Cooperative Co., Bennet, July 23, 9 a.m. to noon; Farmers Cooperative Co., Waverly, June 25, 9 a.m. to noon; both sites accept drums
Thurston: Mother Earth Recycling Center, Macy, June and July, Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to noon; accepts drums

By Appointment Only Collection

Cass: Wiles Brothers, Inc., Plattsmouth, (402) 298-8550; accepts drums
Custer: Custer County Recycling Center, Broken Bow, (308) 870-0313; accepts drums
Gage: Farmers Cooperative, Odell, (402) 766-4145; accepts drums
Lancaster: Lancaster County Extension Office, Lincoln, (402) 441-7180; accepts drums
Lincoln: North Platte Transfer Station, North Platte, (308) 535-6710; accepts drums

 

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