Maryland Recycles Pesticide Containers for 26th Year

Collection Dates Open in June

Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Pesticide Container Recycling Program

ANNAPOLIS, MD (May 21, 2018)  For the past 26 years, the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s pesticide container recycling program has helped prevent pesticide residues from entering the soil and local waterways and has saved valuable landfill space by recycling more than 1 million empty, plastic pesticide containers. The program will open its 26^th year of operation in June for farmers, pesticide applicators and others. A total of 28 collection days are scheduled from June through September at seven locations throughout the state. Those participating are asked to properly rinse their empty pesticide containers.

“This recycling program protects the environment from possible contamination and gives producers and others an easy, free way to dispose of pesticide containers,” said Secretary Joe Bartenfelder. “We are especially pleased with the cooperative effort of the Agricultural Container Recycling Council and USAg Recycling, Inc., which makes local recycling and special pick up for large quantities possible, providing a convenient and much cheaper alternative to landfill disposal.”

In addition to removing potential contaminants through proper disposal, the program provides a source of recycled material for vendors.

The pesticide container recycling program is FREE and open to all agricultural producers and pesticide applicators. The Agricultural Container Recycling Council provides a chipper to grind the plastic containers into flakes, which are then transported to a contractor for recycling. The containers collected in Maryland have yielded nearly 1 million tons of recyclable plastic flakes.

Maryland’s container recycling program is a combined effort of state, county and federal agencies, as well as private industry, working together to protect the environment. We are pleased to announce a new site for 2018 in Montgomery County located at the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission building on Turkey Thicket Drive in Gaithersburg. The new site at M-NCPPC along with our current cooperators will ensure the program’s continued success in reducing the landfill disposal of plastic pesticide containers and allowing the plastic to be reused.

Partners include: Angelica Nurseries, Inc., Chesapeake Ag Air, Crop Production Services Pocomoke, Delmarva Aerial Crop Service, Eddie Mercer, Inc., Frederick County Bureau of Solid Waste Management, Harborview Farms, Harford County Public Works, Hobbits Glen Golf Course, Kent County Public Works, Lippy Brothers, Inc., Martin’s Elevator, Maryland Department of Agriculture, Maryland Environmental Service, Mid-Shore Regional Solid Waste Facility, M-NCPPC, MRW Lawns, Shore Ag Air, Southern States Centreville Cooperative, Southern States Frederick Cooperative, The Mill of Black Horse, Tim’s Aerial Applications, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Wicomico County Public Works, Willard Agri Service Inc., and Maryland farmers and applicators.

A schedule of collection dates and sites are available on the department’s website. For additional information or to schedule a chipping date at your site, contact the Pesticide Regulation Section of the Maryland Department of Agriculture at 410-841-5710.

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