For the first time eight years, the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) Pesticide Program has organized a series of waste pesticide collection events in October.
“Proper disposal of unusable pesticides protects human health, property value, and the environment,” said UDAF Commissioner Kerry Gibson. “The longer a pesticide is held in storage, the greater the risk of unintentional environmental damage.”
Older pesticides are prone to leaks, risks for fire, floods, and storms, all of which can lead to unhealthy exposure to humans, livestock, and pets through direct contact and contaminated soil. They can also be expensive and time-consuming to clean up and restore.
Organized through a partnership with Clean Harbors Environmental Services and the Utah Department of Transportation, three collection events will be held across the state:
- October 9 (9 am to 1 pm) at the Logan UDOT Shed at 790 W 200 N, Logan
- October 21 (9 am to 1 pm) at the Spanish Fork UDOT Shed at 749 S. Main St., Spanish Fork
- October 24 (9 am to 1 pm) at the Cedar City UDOT Shed at 1510 N. Bulldog Rd., Cedar City
There will be no charge for dropping off unused pesticides as UDAF officials want to encourage as much participation as possible.
Waste pesticides are considered to be any herbicide, insecticide, fungicide, or any of the other of the “cides” that is unwanted, or unusable as originally intended or has been canceled by EPA.
To participate in a waste pesticide collection event, operators must pre-register their products at the UDAF website at: https://ag.utah.gov/pesticide-collection-registration/
These events are intended mainly for the agricultural community, but commercial and non-commercial applicators are encouraged to participate. Individual homeowners with small amounts of unusable pesticides are directed to their city or county for residential programs in their area.
For more information, call UDAF at 801-982-2300 ext. 2.
