OLYMPIA - As summer winds down, now is a good time for North Central Washington farmers, residents and landowners to inspect their storage sheds, barns, shops and garages for unwanted pesticides and properly dispose of them before winter arrives.
     The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) has scheduled collection events near Okanogan on Oct. 17 and Orondo on Oct. 18 to pick up unwanted pesticides. The deadline for signing up for the events is Sept. 5.
     "This free service helps keep our water clean and protects public health and the environment," said program coordinator Joe Hoffman. "Washington residents can protect their local environment by properly disposing of out-of-date, unusable and unwanted pesticides. Once a pesticide becomes unusable it is no longer an asset and becomes an unwanted liability in the storage shed."
     Agricultural and commercial-grade pesticides accepted for disposal include insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, rodenticides and most chemicals that kill, repel or prevent unwanted pests. Customers transport unwanted pesticides to the local collection site where WSDA takes possession. A hazardous waste company works with WSDA at the collection site to segregate and package the pesticides for safe, legal transportation and disposal. WSDA sponsors the program in cooperation with local agencies and businesses.
     Through this disposal program, WSDA has collected nearly two million pounds of waste pesticides since 1988. WSDA regulates the registration, sale and use of pesticides.
     Customers will receive 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 manifests or disposal documents. To sign up, call (360) 902-2056, toll free (877) 301-4555 or send an e-mail to wastepesticide@agr.wa.gov.
     Empty pesticide containers, fertilizers, motor oil and household hazardous waste are not accepted for disposal by WSDA's program.
     For more information, write the Waste Pesticide Program, Washington State Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 42589, Olympia, WA 98504-2589 or visit the WSDA Web site at www.agr.wa.gov and click on "Pesticides and Fertilizers."