Prairie State Wire

The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) has announced a free recycling program for agrichemical containers, inviting farmers and agrichemical facilities to participate. This initiative will run from mid-July through August, with collection sites established across the state. The recycled materials will be used to produce shipping pallets.

"This program grows in popularity each year because it provides a safe and convenient way for farmers and agrichemical facilities to dispose of empty pesticide containers," said IDOA Director Jerry Costello II. "Repurposing the plastic into pallets is far better for the environment than shipping them off to landfills."

The recycling program excludes metal and household pesticide containers. It only accepts high-density polyethylene, #2 plastic agrichemical containers that are clean and dry. Participants must rinse these containers thoroughly and remove all caps, valves, metal parts, labels, booklets, and foil seals. Additionally, they need to cut off the top and bottom of plastic drums as well as cut down one side.

For Mini-Bulk and Intermediate Bulk containers, specific preparations are required before recycling: Mini Bulk (cage) containers must be cut into separate pieces with fittings discarded (no metal or wood), while Intermediate Bulk Containers should be chopped into one-foot square pieces without fittings (no metal or wood). G. Phillips and Sons, LLC offers pick-up services for these bulk containers throughout the year; they can be contacted at 678-232-6047.

This recycling effort is a cooperative venture involving IDOA alongside organizations such as the Agriculture Container Recycling Council, GROWMARK Inc., Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association, G. Phillips and Sons LLC, Illinois Farm Bureau, and University of Illinois Extension.

To learn more about this program or request a free brochure, individuals can call IDOA toll-free at 1-800-641-3934.