Pesticides have become a more and more common household and industrial product since the 90’s. The world’s growing food needs create a demand for useable crops for human and animal consumption, while family-owned and local farmers need to provide for themselves and their community.
2 million tons of pesticides are used worldwide, with the USA being the largest consumer. With all the potential for contamination and hazardous use, you might be wondering how industries and communities keep themselves and their environments safe.
Pesticides can be carcinogenic (cancer-causing) and affect your eyes, skin, and nervous system if used improperly.
In addition to personal safety, pesticides can also cause issues with the environment. Harmful chemicals break down over time and can be spread throughout your backyard and community through runoff water and animal life that come in contact with it.
Pesticides kill pests, yes, but also can affect beneficial predators like mice, birds, cats and dogs, and larger animals.
Pesticides are largely considered a hazardous agricultural waste. This means that their production, sale, and disposal are regulated.
The disposal procedures vary based on what kind of pesticide you’re using and what part of the country you’re in, so it’s always best to check on local regulations.
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You want to use the smallest amount possible. This will help you keep your useable pesticide chemicals for longer as well as prevent the need for disposing of extra pesticide mix.
You should mix only enough for the job and use it as directed.
Instead of trying to dispose of leftover pesticide mixtures, you can knock on your neighbors’ doors and see if they want to use it. Camaraderie and community make up the backbone of our society. You’d be surprised how helping your community will help both you and your neighbors feel great.
Pesticides should be stored in a locked, dry, cool, and ventilated area. This will ensure the longevity of your base chemicals as well as the safety of your home and surrounding area.
Your storage area should be inaccessible to the general public and to any family members that may accidentally wander in. Do not keep consumables in the same area.
Make sure you also have clean up supplies, like clay absorbents or other materials, in case a spill occurs without your knowledge.
When you have an empty pesticide container, the best way to prepare them for disposal is to triple-wash them.
You should NEVER reuse a pesticide container. You can render it unusable by poking holds in the bottom and sides of it.
After you’ve finished cleaning out your container, you can call a local disposal company to get more information on tossing hazardous waste.
When we work with customers who need to dispose of hazardous materials, we take them through the hazardous disposal process so they know exactly what they need to do.
The EPA recommends that whenever you handle pesticides, make sure you’re always wearing protective clothing. You should also use a signal word (“caution” ,“danger”, “active”, etc) to warn people working in your vicinity. Familiarize yourself with first aid and safety protocols for chemical contact. And, if you have the means and resources, best leave pesticide spraying to professionals.
If you can, you should avoid using pesticides altogether and use natural options to guard against garden pests.
While Discount Dumpster doesn't take hazardous waste in our dumpsters, our experts are happy to guide you along the way when you’re using pesticides and other hazardous materials. Our top goal is to make sure that you and your family are taken care of and feel confident in household chemical disposal.
You can call us at any time during business hours and our associates will be able to guide you on best disposal practices.
And if you need a dumpster rental for any future landscaping jobs, we can give you a free quote for that too!
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