May 18, 2007

Thirty-eight sites in Nebraska are accepting empty, plastic pesticide containers for recycling this year through UNL Extension's plastic pesticide container and crop protection drum recycling program . Now in its 16th year, the program recycles 1- and 2.5-gallon plastic pesticide containers and 15-, 30- and 55-gallon plastic crop protection chemical drums.

To help farmers and pesticide applicators find recycling sites and other program information, UNL's Pesticide Education Resources Web site includes guidelines, participant roles and details about the pesticide container inspection and recycling processes.

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 73 tons of containers, contributing to a 15-year total of nearly 800 tons of containers.

Teamwork and cooperation have been at the core of this activity from the beginning. Most of the (collection) sites are at agricultural chemical dealerships or community recycling centers, all of which volunteer to take on this additional responsibility.

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 this program. They should be disposed of as solid waste. Of the 38 sites, 22 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. 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. Remove and properly dispose of booklets and caps from containers; and remove and properly dispose of plastic shrink-wraps. Glued-on paper labels can be left on the container.

Of this year's 38 collection sites, six collect year-around, 16 collect May through August, 14 collect on specific dates and two collect by appointment only.

Program funding, which includes second inspection and collection of containers by Tri-Rinse Inc. of St. Louis, Mo., is by a national coalition of agri-chemical manufacturers through the Agricultural Container Recycling Council, Washington, D.C. Collection site categories are listed by county below. Sites accepting 15-, 30- and 55-gallon plastic drums are noted.

Larry Schulze
Extension Pesticide Education Specialist

Year-around Inspection, Collection Sites

Buffalo: Kearney Recycling Center, Kearney, Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cuming: West Point Transfer Station, West Point, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to noon, 1 to 5 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; accepts drums.

Dawson: All Points Cooperative, Lexington, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; accepts drums.

Lincoln: North Platte Transfer Station, North Platte, Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., except holidays.

Scotts Bluff: Gering Landfill, Gering, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.; accepts drums.

Washington: Blair Recycling Center, Blair, Saturday 8 a.m. to noon; accepts drums.

May-August Inspection, Collection Sites

Antelope: Central Valley Ag Co-op, Brunswick, Clearwater, Elgin, Neligh and Tilden. Boone: Country Partners Co-op, Cedar Rapids; May, June and July; accepts drums.

Butler: Frontier Co-op (Yanka), David City.

• Gage: United Agri Products, Beatrice. Southeast Nebraska Cooperative, Beatrice.
  Jefferson: Farmers Cooperative Agronomy Center, Fairbury; accepts drums. Lancaster: Countryside Co-op, Princeton.
  Perkins: Cornhusker Ag Aviation, Grant; Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to noon; accepts drums.

Saline: Farmers Cooperative, Wilber.

Sarpy: Farmers Union Co-op, Gretna; accepts drums.

Saunders: Frontier Cooperative, Mead and UAP Distribution, Ashland (only Mead accepts drums).

Sites Collecting, Inspecting Pesticide Containers on Specific Days

Adams: Cooperative Producers Inc., Juniata, Aug. 16 and 17, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; accepts drums.

Cass: Wiles Bros. Fertilizer Inc., Plattsmouth, Fridays, July and August, 8 a.m. to noon; accepts drums.

Clay: Cooperative Producers Inc., Sutton, Aug. 16 and 17. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; accepts drums.

Colfax: Schuyler Cooperative, Richland, May 12, June 9, July 14, Aug. 11, 8 a.m. to noon. Dakota: Central Valley Ag, Emerson, June and July, Wednesdays, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.; 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 11 and 25, June 8 and 22, July 6 and 20, Aug. 3 and 17. Central Valley Ag., Wakefield, June 13 and 27, July 11 and 25, Aug. 15, 1-4 p.m; (only Wakefield accepts drums).

Dodge: Frontier Cooperative, North Bend, Friday 8-4 p.m. June through October; accepts drums.

Hamilton: Cooperative Producers Inc., Giltner, Aug. 9 and 10, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m; accepts drums.

Kearney: Cooperative Producers Inc., Minden, Aug. 9 and 10, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; accepts drums.

Lancaster: Farmers Cooperative Co., Bennet, Aug. 10, 9 a.m. to noon; Farmers Cooperative Co., Waverly, June 29, 9 a.m. to noon; both sites accept drums.

Thurston: Mother Earth Recycling Center, Macy, June and July, Wednesdays10 a.m. to noon; accepts drums (except holidays).

Sites Collecting, Inspecting Pesticide Containers by Appointment Only

Brown: Ainsworth Transfer Station, Ainsworth, (402) 387-2213.

Lancaster: Lancaster County Extension Office, Lincoln, (402) 441-7180; accepts drums.