Protective Clothing for Pesticide Users

Bulletin 750

Excess Pesticide and Container Disposal

Pesticide Disposal

Pesticide users are faced with several potential waste problems that vary with the type and size of the operation. Sources of waste include surplus or unused pesticides, dilute rinsate from washing equipment, surplus tank mixtures, spilled materials and empty containers.

Excess Pesticides

If you have excess pesticides:

• Consult the label for disposal instructions or precautions.
• Use them up as directed on the label.
• Check with the supplier to see if the material can be returned.
• Take the pesticides to a sanitary landfill operating under an approved permit for hazardous waste disposal.
• If you cannot dispose of them properly right away, store them safely until you can.
• Remember that preventing surplus pesticides is the best way to solve the disposal problem.

Empty Containers

Do not leave pesticide containers at the application site. So-called "empty" containers are not really empty. They contain small amounts of pesticides. Never give pesticide containers to children to play with or to adults to use. Never use these containers for any other purpose than the original intent of containing the specified pesticide. Containers that have been properly rinsed can be disposed of as solid waste in any approved sanitary landfill. Check in your area for any container recycling or shredding programs.

Always pressure rinse or triple rinse empty containers of liquid pesticide. Note these steps for triple rinsing: (1) Empty the container into the spray tank and drain in a vertical position for 30 seconds. (2) Refill the container one-fifth to one-fourth full with rinse water or other diluent. (3) Rinse thoroughly, pour into the spray tank and drain in a vertical position for 30 seconds. (4) Repeat steps 1 through 3 until the container has been rinsed three times. Remember to empty each rinse solution into the spray tank.

Burnable Containers

You may burn small numbers of burnable containers if permitted by state and local regulations. You may bury them singly in open fields at least 18 inches below the surface. You may take them to an approved landfill operating under a permit. Be careful not to pollute surface or subsurface water.

Surface and Ground Water

Surface and ground water are essential natural resources. Half the people in the United States - 90 percent of rural residents - depend on ground water as a source of drinking water. The remainder obtain water from streams, rivers, lakes and reservoirs. The potential contamination of water is a national concern.

There are basically two ways properly applied pesticides may reach surface or underground waters: through runoff and leaching. Trace amounts of some pesticides have been reported in some water supplies from various states. The full extent of the problem is not known at this time, but extensive studies are under way.

The following suggestions may be useful:

• Do not apply pesticides when weather conditions are conducive to water runoff, leaching or excessive drainage.
• Incorporate farm-management practices that would prevent soil erosion and movement of agricultural chemicals into waterways.
• Do not apply pesticides where the water table is near the soil surface.
• Do not apply to very permeable soils.
• Be careful about possible drainage into abandoned wells.
• Be concerned about landfill drainage.
• Help protect our ground water.