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Photo of recyclable pesticide containers - Click to enlarge
For Immediate Release: March 22, 2010
Contact: Lynne Richmond
(609) 633-2954

(TRENTON) – New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher today announced the Department of Agriculture’s schedule for the 2010 plastic pesticide container recycling program.

The Department will have 21 separate collection days April through November at three South Jersey collection sites in Hammonton (Atlantic County), Deerfield (Cumberland County), and Woodstown (Salem County) in 2010.

“We have seen an increasing interest in recycling agricultural materials, especially plastic pesticide containers, in recent years,” said Secretary Fisher.  “This recycling program offers pesticide applicators and businesses a free, easy and responsible way to dispose of these containers that once would end up in landfills.  We are proud this program continues to grow year after year.”

Last year’s collection exceeded the amount collected in 2008 by 111 percent.  To date, more than 115,000 pounds of plastic pesticide containers have been kept out of the landfills.

Launched in 2002, the program, a cooperative effort between the Department, the Atlantic County Utilities Authority, Helena Chemical, Cumberland County Improvement Authority, Salem County Improvement Authority, and the Salem County Board of Agriculture, collects plastic pesticide containers from all categories of New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection licensed pesticide applicators and custom application businesses.

Among the uses for the recycled plastic are fence posts, pallets, underground utility conduit, speed bumps, parking stops, marine pilings and field drain tiles.

All three collection sites also will be accepting clean cardboard since the pesticide containers are distributed in cardboard boxes.

In addition, the Department offers year-round mulch film and drip irrigation tape recycling and has information on recycling nursery pots, plastic flats, trays, and cell packs.

For further information on processing guidelines, details on the collection sites and specific dates of collection, or to find out more about the various agricultural plastics recycling programs, contact Karen Kritz at 609-984-2506 or Karen.kritz@ag.state.nj.us or visit the New Jersey Department of Agriculture Agricultural Recycling webpage at: www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/md/prog/recycling.html.