With spring planting beginning to ramp up into full swing in Fayette County and surrounding counties, it is the time of year when farmers apply much of their annual pesticides.

Once most of your spraying applications are complete, what do you do with the large mountain of empty plastic pesticide containers? The safe and preferred method of disposal of the many empty pesticide containers is to RECYCLE. There is an opportunity for you to recycle these containers thanks to Nutrien Ag Solutions (Melvin location), G. Phillips and Sons and the Ohio State University Extension.

What can be recycled? Any plastic agriculture pesticide container, which includes jugs, drums up to 55 gallons and mini bulks. It is asked that mini bulks be removed from the metal carrying case and cut into two feet by two feet strips.

What are the requirements at the drop-off location? All containers need to be triple rinsed, remove the caps from the jugs and of barrels, remove the loose paper labels, containers must be dry and mini bulks cut into two feet by two feet sections with no lid, valve or screws. These requirements are strictly enforced at the drop-off location.

How do I get my containers to the site? An easy way to handle several of the gallon to two and half gallon jugs is to run a piece of twine or rope through the handles and tie them together. A livestock trailer or enclosed trailer is also a great way to get them to the recycling site.

The recycling location will be at the Nutrien Ag Solutions, Melvin location at 6704 E. US Highway 22/3, Wilmington, Ohio 45177. The drop-off date will be on Friday, Aug. 14 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. I realize this event takes place several months from now, but we wanted to make sure we could collect as many containers as possible at one point. Notifying you now, why you are applying pesticides, will remind you to save your empty, used containers. By Aug. 14, most pesticide applications will be complete for the 2020 growing season and farmers will be eager to clean-up the empty container mountain that was created. There is no pre-registration required and the drop-off is free of charge. The requirements previously listed will be strictly enforced by the personnel at the location.

For additional information or questions, you can contact Tony Nye at the Clinton County Extension office at 937-382-0901 or by email at [email protected]. If you would like to share this information with friends and neighbors, the complete flyer containing the details is located on the Fayette County Extension website at fayette.osu.edu.