MSU Extension sets 2 waste pesticide drop-offs

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Producers, landowners and property managers in Mississippi will soon have two chances to dispose of unusable pesticides.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service and MSU Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering will host agricultural pesticide disposal events Feb. 24 in Yazoo County and March 3 in Forrest County.

Waste pesticides accepted include insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and other pesticide products. Producers can also bring up to two tractor tires and up to 10 car or truck tires to the Yazoo County event on Feb. 24.

Rinsate and bulk containers larger than 55-gallon drums will not be accepted.

The Yazoo County drop-off location is in the parking lot of the former Tal Port building at 2003 Gordon Ave. in Yazoo City and will be open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Forrest County Multipurpose Center parking lot at 962 Sullivan Drive in Hattiesburg will be the drop-off site for that county. The location will also be open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The events support the MSU Extension program How to Implement Agricultural and Community-Based Recycling. This program is funded by the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality with additional support from the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce. To learn more, visit msuext.ms/agrecycling.

Program director Mary Love Tagert said the drop-offs are good opportunities for producers to dispose of products that are no longer registered or have expired at no cost. MSU Extension Publication 3403, “Disposal of Agricultural Waste Pesticides in Mississippi,” has more background information on the program. The publication is available online at msuext.ms/agwaste.

“These events are expensive to organize, so we only have a few each year,” Tagert said. “It’s important to participate and dispose of old products sitting in the barn to reduce the chance of spills.”

For more information, contact a local county MSU Extension office or email Tagert at mltagert@abe.msstate.edu or Jessica Drewry at jdrewry@abe.msstate.edu.