skip to main content skip to main navigation
Photo of pesticide containers for recycling - Click to enlarge
For Immediate Release: March 25, 2011
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 2011 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 2011.

“The plastic pesticide container recycling program is a free, easy and responsible way of disposing of material that would otherwise end up in landfills,” said Secretary Fisher.  “In 2010, we doubled the amount recycled through the program from the year before.  We encourage  pesticide applicators and businesses to participate.”

Last year, more than 85,000 pounds of HDPE plastic was recycled through the program compared to the 38,000 collected in 2009. To date, more than 201,633 pounds of HDPE plastic pesticide containers have been kept out of the landfills through this program.

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 plastic pesticide containers, industrial pallets, agriculture drain pipe, speed bumps, parking stops,  hazardous waste drums, scaffold nailing strips, commercial truck sub-floor support members and dock and sea walls.

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

In addition, year-round drip irrigation tape recycling is offered at the Cumberland County Solid Waste Complex. The Department of Agriculture can provide additional 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, visit the New Jersey Department of Agriculture Agricultural Recycling webpage at: www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/md/prog/recycling.html or contact Karen Kritz at 609-984-2506 or Karen.kritz@ag.state.nj.us.