PA Environment Digest

Agricultural businesses and residents in 21 Pennsylvania counties will soon be able to safely and easily dispose of unwanted pesticides through the CHEMSWEEP Program, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said this week.

The program is offered in different counties each year and is funded through annual registration fees paid by pesticide manufacturers and applicators.

This year, CHEMSWEEP services will be offered in Allegheny, Beaver, Bedford, Berks, Blair, Carbon, Centre, Chester, Columbia, Delaware, Elk, Jefferson, Lancaster, Montgomery, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, Sullivan, Union, Washington and York counties.

"CHEMSWEEP is a safe, legal way to dispose of unwanted pesticides and help to protect the environment," said Secretary Redding. "Since the program began in 1993, Pennsylvanians have properly disposed of more than 1.8 million pounds of pesticides."

Licensed pesticide applicators in agribusinesses and commercial enterprises from the designated counties are eligible to participate by completing the CHEMSWEEP registration/inventory form that will be direct-mailed. The registration period will end June 15.

An independent contractor hired by the Department of Agriculture will collect and package all waste pesticides primarily for incineration at facilities approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. CHEMSWEEP will cover the disposal cost for the first 2,000 pounds per participant. Above that level, participants will be billed at the department's contracted price.

Homeowners can use CHEMSWEEP by participating in county or municipal Household Hazardous Waste, or HHW, collection events in counties where the Agriculture department and the disposal contractor is partnered with the Department of Environmental Protection. However, counties may hold independent HHW collection events in which homeowners may participate.

To obtain forms or for more information, visit the CHEMSWEEP Program webpage.

For more information about the Household Hazardous Waste collection programs, call 1-800-346-4242 or visit the DEP Household Hazardous Waste webpage.

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