UNWANTED AGRICULTURAL PESTICIDES - STATE DISPOSAL PROGRAMS

Millions of pounds of unwanted pesticides have accumulated in storage barns throughout our country. The potential environmental and health r isks posed by this situation have garnered public attention and govern mental action. While the possession of unwanted pesticides generally i s not illegal, agricultural producers need to follow requisite legal r equirements and dispose of pesticides properly to avoid legal infracti ons. The federal government has published the Universal Waste Rule so that it is easier to dispose of unwanted pesticides through waste pest icide collection programs. Nearly every state has initiated efforts to collect and dispose of accumulated pesticides in a safe manner, but m any programs only address a part of the problem. For many states, the lack of implementation of funding or a permanent mechanism for the col lection of unwanted pesticides means that pesticides will continue to present risks to our society.