INFORMATION SHEET
ON
DISPOSAL PROGRAM
The North Dakota Agriculture Department received $600,000 in funding this past legislative session for development of a pesticide container disposal pilot program designed to help farmers properly dispose of unusable pesticides. Unusable pesticides are those pesticides which are not usable for the intended applications as provided by label instructions, or which have been suspended, or cancelled, by federal agencies because of the concern for potentially adverse effects to the user or the environment.
The North Dakota Department of Agriculture is expressing that this is NOT a regulatory program, rather it is a chance to eliminate some of the unusable pesticides throughout the state.
The $600,000 pilot program was appropriated through Senate bill 2025 that created the disposal/recycling program. The monies for the pilot program came through Senate Bill 2451 a rangeland protect on fund. This bill increased chemical registration fees to $150/product registered, paid by the manufactures. Of that $150 fee, $125 goes toward the protection fund. The amount of money appropriated is as follows:
The disposal program is budgeted for $500 000 with the remaining $100,000 being used for a pesticide container recycling program, educational materials, staffing and office supply costs.
The intent of the disposal program is to go statewide, with three locations for collection of the unusable pesticides Currently, the Dickinson, Minot, and Valley City areas are being considered. Since this is a pilot program with limited funding, it will be offered only to farmers. There will be a pesticide priority list from which those farmers having chemicals that are on this priority list will be considered first.
The Department encouraged everyone to participate. If a farmer feels it is too far to drive, or if he/she does not have the Chemicals on the priority list, the Department still asks that they pre-register. Pre-registration allows the Department to have a better idea of how much product is out there. It also puts the farmer on a database so that when a collection does become available, they will receive first chance at it. However, most importantly it provides statistics to show the legislature how important it is that this program continues to receive funding, which first must be reapproved by the 1993 legislature.
Each county agent will be given the pre-registration notification forms and a bulletin for the farmer explaining the program. These papers will be available for the farmers by January 21, 1992.
The collections program is tentatively scheduled to take place in late June and early July of 1992.
For more information please feel free to contact Paula Lentz at the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, (701)224-2980.