getting rid of your toxic gick

So I'm on a regional list for farmers and I got an email that said "bring your excess pesticides in and we'll dispose of them properly!" and I replied to the individual "I once heard of an event where everyday folks could bring their unused
pesticides and other gross stuff to a place and then folks that like
to use that sort of thing can come and get free gross stuff (instead
of buying it).  Do you know of anything like this?"

And here, glorious permies, is the answer ....


------------------------------------------


The WSDA Waste Pesticide Program is a one-way program where we collect and properly dispose of unusable or otherwise unwanted agricultural and commercial grade pesticides. Most of what we collect is truly hazardous waste and there is very little that is in good enough condition and/or still legal to use.

Some household hazardous waste (HHW) programs offer a "second-use or exchange" table or store. Usually this includes just about any type of household chemical except pesticides. Pesticides are unique in that the product labeling is constantly changing and products and active ingredients continue to become prohibited from further use. Only currently registered labeled pesticides may be distributed. Few HHW programs are interested in taking the time necessary to determine if each specific pesticide package is still registered for distribution. In fact, the labor expense to do this is usually more than the cost of disposal.

You can find out the locations and contact info for HHW programs across the U.S. by going to the Earth 911 website: http://earth911.com/
. Enter the zip code for the locations in which you are interested and the rest is explained on the site or by calling their help line. Then contact the local program regarding potential second-use items.

The thing closest to what you described is the Industrial Materials Exchange (IMEX). IMEX is a "listing" of products and items that people wish to discard and in which others are interested. IMEX does not have a physical location, it is an online listing and all products must be in their original, sealed containers. The IMEX site is found at: http://www.govlink.org/hazwaste/business/imex/ . Currently, there is not a charge for using IMEX.

If the above does not answer your question, you wish to discuss this further, have additional questions or etc. please contact me at jhoffman@agr.wa.gov or by telephone at one of the numbers listed in my closing (below).

Sincerely,

Joe A. Hoffman

Waste Pesticide Program Coordinator

Washington State Dept. of Agriculture

voice: 360-902-2048

FAX: 360-902-2093

cell: 360-951-4582

email: jhoffman@agr.wa.gov

web: http://agr.wa.gov/pestfert/pesticides/wastepesticide.htm

thank goodness they don't let people reuse pesticides!  I have often wondered what their method of 'proper disposal' is.  that tidbit about the changing labels should be enough to deter people from using that junk so freely. some people just don't believe any product could ever be approved for public use if it was unsafe. 

Leah Sattler wrote:
what [is] their method of 'proper disposal'

I know just enough about this to know that it is a carreer unto itself.

In some cases, incineration is appropriate, but there are several types of incinerators based on what conditions are needed to completely burn a particular class of chemical.

There are safe ways to neutralize acids and bases.

There are exotic reactors that bring water into a supercritical state (temperature and pressure so great that the distinction between liquid and gas no longer applies), where it has enough energy to break down even extremely stable halogenated hydrocarbons like polychlorinated biphenyls.  When they let off the pressure, it's just CO2, H2O, and NaCl (they need lye as a reactant, obviously).

Some wastes are just buried in particularly stable and leach-proof landfills, though.

I suppose it is a full time job. toxic waste managment. yuck. what a career

Leah Sattler wrote:
I suppose it is a full time job. toxic waste managment. yuck. what a career

Literally saving the world from the evils of toxic gick.  Noble work.

Nice work Paul!  I spent a long time looking for that, as you know.

In Portland they re-process waste household latex paint:  http://www.metro-region.org/index.cfm/go/by.web/id=521

I have heard that the paint is very high quality, in part because the percentage of pigment is higher due to the cans having been opened and liquids partially evaporated.

The only down side is that the range of colors is limited.

at the end of July our township has a dumpster where we can bring non toxic junk...and at the end of august our county has a drop off point for all kinds of toxic or hazardous items..one saturday when you can take anything you have that needs to be properly disposed of..a great deal for us.

Marion Co. here in Indiana has ToxDrops every 1st and 3rd Saturday of every month. All sorts of household toxic waste is accepted, as well as electronics, etc.

paul wheaton wrote:
Literally saving the world from the evils of toxic gick.   Noble work.

yeah I'm glad someone is willing to do it.......but that someone aint me!!!

I haven't seen anything near our new place. In tulsa they had yearly drop offs for this sort of thing at the local fairgrounds. the news always went over how much nasty toxic stuff they accumulated...........

I have dead VCR's, a dead microwave, a dead TV AND a couple dead computers. All stored in my garage. I hate to just dump stuff like that. They only have opportunities for disposal of these items infrequently around here. I know of a place I can take the puters, but that's about it.

it is frustrating. I'm told those new twisty fl. bulbs (that are debateble as to their real eviromental freindliness) are supposed to be disposed of at one of these places! if they break you are supposed to stay out of the room for a time. don't know for sure that is true. if it is.....sheesh.......do we need one more thing that is toxic to convince people to dispose of properly? and those things do not last always as long as they are supposed to and they don't just stop working. my laundry room at the old house used to go through those things and I finally started using regular bulbs again. they make a weird smoky poof when they blow.....

Not just the compact fluorescent bulbs, but all fluorescent bulbs need to be disposed of properly. I know the long tube types used to be accepted at our local Sears. I don't know if they still do or if they take the compact bulbs or not.

so its true! I have seen those things pushed all over the place. I just don't see people disposing of them properly in a real world situation.

Same with batteries. Most people I know (including me) are guilty of tossing them.

yeah me too.  I always make sure car batteries and such make it back as a core but when your sitting there holding a AAA battery in your hand........

I wonder what other little things there are that people don't think about or realize have special disposal needs? thermometers is supposed to be one.

Brand-name alkaline batteries (the ones you likely threw away) claim no added mercury.  That leaves potassium, zinc, manganese, and iron...all of which are good for soil in moderation.  They will send pH through the roof once the casing is breeched, but that's temporary and can be worked around.  So don't feel too guilty.

NiMH batteries also are of little concern in the landfill, but NiCd (obviously) have cadmium, and lithium ion (polymer or not) contain enough cobalt to be problematic.

If a thermometer contains mercury, it will be apparent on inspection.  Same goes with old-fashioned thermostat bulbs.  Newer ones and many of the older ones are filled with alcohol or similar, and shouldn't need any special consideration.  Electronics contain lead, but shouldn't contain very much or in a very mobile form.

That only scratches the surface of this issue...as I've said, it's a discipline unto itself.  Feel free to post a new topic if you have a specific question; I'll give what I know.

Just got this press release:

Washington State Department of Agriculture



News Release: June 30, 2011



Contact: Jason Kelly 360-902-1815



WSDA offers free waste pesticide disposal

2011 collection events to be held in Seattle, Walla Walla, Spokane and Prosser



OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) is sponsoring free pesticide disposal events this year near Seattle, Walla Walla, Spokane and Prosser. Advance sign-up is required and deadlines are approaching.



WSDA encourages farms, businesses, residents and landowners to inspect their storage sheds, barns, shops and garages. The agency will accept any agricultural and commercial-grade pesticides that are no longer needed. Last year, WSDA collected over 183,000 pounds of unwanted pesticides.



“People want to do the right thing to protect their local environment," said WSDA’s Joe Hoffman. “Proper pesticide disposal helps keep our land and water clean, prevents expensive cleanup projects and protects public health. Growers seeking Good Agricultural Practices certification will want to remove unwanted pesticides before their inspection.”



Products accepted for disposal include insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, rodenticides and most chemicals that kill, repel or prevent unwanted pests. Customers transport unwanted pesticides to the collection site where WSDA takes possession. A hazardous waste company works with WSDA to segregate and package the pesticides for safe, legal transportation and disposal.



Call 1-877-301-4555 (toll free) or e-mail wastepesticide@agr.wa.gov to sign up for the following events:

•    Seattle: sign up by July 18 for Aug. 23 event

•    Walla Walla: sign up by Aug. 2 for Sept. 13 event

•    Spokane: sign up by Aug. 2 for Sept. 15 event

•    Prosser: sign up by Aug. 31 for Oct. 20 event



Customers will receive the supplies necessary to protect broken or leaky containers to ensure safe transportation to the collection site, as well as directions to the site, hours of operation and transportation documents. Customer names do not appear on any retained documents. Upon request, WSDA will provide free assistance at a customer’s property to help inventory unwanted pesticides and package leaky containers.



WSDA does not accept empty pesticide containers, fertilizers, motor oil and household hazardous waste. Contact your local solid waste program for assistance with these items.



WSDA regulates the registration and sale of pesticides. The department also enforces state and federal laws to protect people, property and the environment against the improper use or disposal of pesticides. Through its disposal events, WSDA has collected and properly disposed of more than 2.5 million pounds of waste pesticides since 1988.



For more information, visit the WSDA Waste Pesticide Program website.

I used to live in a community that was a part of Los Angeles, and they held a weekend event for people to dispose of household wastes.  At the time, I was connected with a local, volunteer "Graffiti Busters".  I turned them onto the disposal program, and they collected hundreds of gallons of free paint to use in the program.  Killed two birds with one stone.

Some good information here...any updates?

I do know that after my father in law had his stroke he took his mad scientist chemistry collection to one of those free disposal days.... 80+ lbs of elemental mercury in giant glass jars, 5 gallons of fuming nitric acid, 5 gallons of fuming sulfuric, a gallon of prepared aqua regia, a chunk of elemental uranium... Needless to say this was pre 9/11, but they took it all with nothing more than a few bugged-out eyes and laughs. I bet they got lots of money for the mercury.