RALEIGH – The North Carolina Pesticide Disposal Assistance Program recently marked a significant milestone, collecting more than five million pounds of banned, outdated or unwanted pesticides in the state since the program began in 1980.
This milestone is a highlight in the 44-year effort of the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which aims to keep the unwanted or banned pesticides from being accidentally released or disposed of in landfills or other improper manners.
Collection events in Columbus, Sampson and Wake counties garnered 20,000 pounds of pesticides in one week, putting the program over the five-million mark.
“It took us nearly 40 years to collect four million pounds of pesticides, and now the program has been so utilized that we collected another million pounds in just the last five years,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “It is a not a regulatory program, but instead is a voluntary way for farmers or other homeowners and citizens to safely dispose of pesticides. We were the first in the country with such a program, and I’m proud that we continue to lead the way in protecting our people and natural resources in this way.”
Prior to 2019, the program averaged about 160,000 pounds of pesticides collected each year. In the last five years, that average has been 196,509 pounds per year, with 2022 setting a record of 217,476 pounds collected. This year, PDAP has collected about 170,000 pounds of pesticides.
“Essentially, the program aims to help protect human health and the environment,” said PDAP manager Derrick Bell. “It’s really rewarding to know that people want to do the right thing, and we’re helping them do that.”
PDAP averages 35 to 40 pesticide collection events across the state each year. Events are located so that people in each of the state’s 100 counties can access a collection in their county or a nearby county about once a year. More information, including the collection schedule, can be found at www.ncagr.gov/PDAP.