Storage shed with toxic chemicals (photo: Don McCracken)

Alberta farmers turned in more than 66,000 kilograms of obsolete or unwanted pesticides for safe disposal last year.

The obsolete pesticide collection program took place across the southern half of the province over a five-day period at the end of October last year where farmers dropped off old or unwanted pesticides.

Any agricultural pesticides that are used in normal crop production practices that are either de-registered or unwanted by growers will be taken according to the Director of Obsolete Collections for Cleanfarms, Russell Hurst.

After collection, the pesticides are taken to a licensed waste management facility where they are safely disposed through high-temperature incineration, the case of Alberta they are taken to the Swan Hills facility.
 
He says Cleanfarms is a national industry-led agricultural waste stewardship organization.

the obsolete pesticide collection program has been operating since 1998 and since then, Alberta farmers have turned in 203,889 kilograms of obsolete pesticides.

The obsolete pesticide collection program generally comes to the province every three years and is free for farmers to participate in. In 2013, the program will run in the northern half of the province. In between collections, farmers are asked to safely store their unwanted pesticides until they can properly dispose of them through the obsolete pesticide collection program.

The program is part of the plant science industry's commitment to responsible lifecycle management of its products.

For more information visit Cleanfarms.ca