Program helps farmers get rid of pesticides

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, October 23, 2002

Farmers and businesses needing assistance in disposing of hazardous pesticides have gotten some much-needed help from the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

"This is a free program through the Department of Agriculture that actually pays for the disposal," Chuck Yaniko, district manager of the Lawrence- Scioto Solid Waste Management District, said. "The only cost is hauling it to the designated disposal site."

Yaniko said this is an important program and is the only available service that is free. It is available to farmers and commercial businesses.

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"Just finding a place to take it locally is tough," he said. "Most landfills will not even take them.

Pesticides, insecticide, herbicides, fungicides and rodenticides are accepted but must be preregistered. Registration forms are available by contacting the ODA at (740) 774-3793 or 1-800-852-9034

Registration information is confidential. After the registration is received the applicant will be notified by mail as to where the pesticides will be picked up at but it will be within their county, said Larry Berger environmental specialist for the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

"We go by need, but the problem is that I have a big state to cover," he said.

"The whole intention is to get waste out of storage so it does not threaten anyone," Berger said. "For home owners, it is not really an issue. The program is really geared towards farmers and businesses like greenhouses and golf courses."

The Ohio Department of Agriculture has collected about 1.2 million pounds of pesticides since the program began in 1993.

Disposing of the materials is expensive and is paid for by EPA grant money, he said.

Although the majority comes from northern counties, more than 700 pounds have been picked from Lawrence County. The first visit netted only about 70 pounds but on the second visit more than 600 was picked up, he said.

Berger said next year the first week of June will be a designated time the DOA will be in the county to pick up the registered pesticides.