The Georgia Department of Agriculture has scheduled a Pesticide Clean Day event for March 29 in Coffee County.
Offered once a year, the event is open and free to all Georgians. However, due to limited waste disposal capabilities, the event is geared toward private and commercial pesticide license holders who need to safely dispose of outdated or canceled restricted-use pesticides. Individuals and entities including farmers, lawn care companies, golf courses and pest control companies are encouraged to participate in the event.
“Homeowners interested in properly disposing of unused pesticides and other household hazardous wastes should contact their county Extension agent,” said Allison Johnson, pesticide safety education program coordinator for University of Georgia Cooperative Extension. “There are several great community waste disposal programs held throughout the year that are specifically geared toward safely disposing of general-use pesticides and household waste materials, so we want to let homeowners know there are numerous opportunities that are available to them at no cost.”
Residents can also check out the Pesticide Disposal page of the UGA Pesticide Education Program website for upcoming disposal events around the state. More detailed guidance on how to properly dispose of household hazardous waste materials is available from the Georgia Department of Agriculture.
Pre-registration is required for the March 29 Clean Day event, which will run from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. “This is a first-come, first-served event, so make sure you have pre-registered by March 24 or you will not get the chance to participate. The event starts at 8 a.m. You want to make sure you arrive earlier in the day, if possible,” Johnson emphasized.
All canceled, suspended, unusable and unlabeled materials classified as pesticides may be turned in for collection. Participants are required to list all pesticides they wish to dispose of on the pre-registration form to estimate the types and volumes to be collected. Any pesticides without a brand name, trade name or active ingredient on the label may require analysis to determine the contents. If unsure of the contents of a container, participants are asked to write “unknown” on the pre-registration form.
The brief list below outlines which types of materials will and will not be accepted at the upcoming event:
Acceptable materials
- Insecticides
- Growth regulators
- Fungicides
- Harvest-aid chemicals
- Nematicides
- Bactericides
- Herbicides
- Miscellaneous pesticides
Excluded materials
- Compressed gases
- Solvents
- Paints
- Antifreeze
- Motor oil
- Explosive materials
- Fertilizers or nutrients that are neither hazardous nor contain pesticide
Pre-registration is mandatory for program participation. Please download the Clean Day pre-registration form for more information.
- All pesticides brought to the collection site must be listed on the pre-registration form.
- Items not registered will be refused at the collection site.
- Empty containers or rinsates will not be accepted.
- No compressed gases can be accepted (e.g., methyl bromide, chlorpicrin, vikane, etc.).
For more information about the event, contact your local UGA Extension office or visit the Georgia Department of Agriculture Pesticide Waste Disposal and Container Recycling webpage.
