The mission of the Missouri Pesticide Collection Program is to help protect human health and the environment by collecting and ensuring safe disposal of waste pesticides from Missouri farmers and households, while educating Missouri citizens about how to properly manage and reduce pesticide waste.
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The Missouri Pesticide Collection Program is a non-regulatory, consumer services program that is part of the department's Waste Management Program. The program began in 2012, as a way to provide Missouri farmers and households with a convenient, free opportunity to properly dispose unwanted waste pesticides. Since 2012, the Missouri Pesticide Collection Program has conducted 68 events and collected over 890,000 pounds of waste pesticide from 2,196 participants.
Who can participate in the program?
- Missouri farmers
- Missouri households
All pesticides collected during the event are categorized, sampled (if unknown), separated and placed into proper Department of Transportation shipping containers with approved labels and markings. The waste is transported off site by a licensed hazardous waste contractor to a permitted hazardous waste incineration facility for disposal.
Collection services are overseen by the department’s Waste Management Program staff. For more information or questions about the Missouri Pesticide Collection Program, please contact the department's Waste Management Program, by telephone at 800-361-4827 or 573-751-5401, or by email at pesticidecollectionregistration@dnr.mo.gov. Hearing and speech-impaired individuals may reach us through Relay Missouri at 800-735-2966.
Upcoming Events
Past Events
| Year Sort ascending | Location | Number of Participants | Total Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Portageville | 40 | 42,870 |
| 2023 | Jamestown | 23 | 7,754 |
| 2023 | Brookfield | 16 | 12,393 |
| 2023 | Crane | 22 | 2,569 |
| 2023 | Troy | 33 | 13,700 |
| 2022 | Portageville | 35 | 96,766 |
| 2022 | Appleton City | 31 | 8,839 |
| 2022 | Washington | 77 | 12,983 |
| 2022 | Farmington | 24 | 7,162 |
| 2022 | Chillicothe | 47 | 15,441 |
| 2022 | Versailles | 32 | 15,859 |
| 2021 | Kennett | 25 | 73,954 |
| 2021 | Lockwood | 33 | 12,757 |
| 2021 | Lincoln | 20 | 2,293 |
| 2021 | Salisbury | 26 | 5,495 |
| 2021 | Kahoka | 13 | 5,217 |
| 2021 | Marthasville | 82 | 12,419 |
| 2020 | Kirksville | 41 | 13,137 |
| 2020 | Montgomery City | 33 | 13,287 |
| 2020 | Albany | 18 | 13,864 |
| 2020 | West Plains | 15 | 2,644 |
| 2020 | Clinton | 42 | 8,090 |
| 2020 | Dexter | 31 | 48,429 |
| 2019 | Columbia | 28 | 5,839 |
| 2019 | Ste. Genevieve | 22 | 3,142 |
| 2019 | Carrollton | 22 | 7,764 |
| 2019 | Mount Vernon | 28 | 6,530 |
| 2019 | Troy | 62 | 21,960 |
| 2019 | Portageville | 30 | 55,467 |
| 2018 | Palmyra | 35 | 6,788 |
| 2018 | Bethany | 19 | 3,360 |
| 2018 | Portageville | 48 | 58,846 |
| 2018 | Jefferson City | 46 | 6,876 |
| 2018 | Nevada | 46 | 12,034 |
| 2018 | Perryville | 37 | 4,752 |
| 2017 | Lockwood | 54 | 10,103 |
| 2017 | Chillicothe | 39 | 13,106 |
| 2017 | Sikeston | 43 | 25,376 |
| 2017 | St. Peters | 58 | 6,892 |
| 2017 | Portageville | 22 | 27,855 |
| 2017 | Fairfax | 8 | 1,392 |
| 2016 | Portageville | 22 | 32,659 |
| 2016 | Poplar Bluff | 28 | 17,674 |
| 2016 | Fairfax | 13 | 3,389 |
| 2016 | Canton | 31 | 4,450 |
| 2016 | Montgomery City | 21 | 4,274 |
| 2016 | Bolivar | 45 | 2,161 |
Accepted Waste
What is accepted?
All pesticides from Missouri farmers and households, including, but not limited to:
- Fungicides
- Herbicides
- Insecticides
- Rodenticides
- Fertilizers containing pesticides
- De-wormers and fly-tags
Please call before bringing bulk containers of pesticide.
What is NOT accepted?
- Pesticides from businesses, pesticide production facilities, pesticide distributors or pesticide retailers
- Non-pesticide waste, including, but not limited to:
- Paint
- Explosives
- Fire Extinguishers
- Smoke Detectors
- Cylinders
- Asbestos
- Trash
- Yard Waste
- Electronics
- Used oil
Non-pesticide waste brought to the event will be rejected and sent back with the participant. For disposal information about non-pesticide household hazardous waste, such as paint and cleaning products, visit Household Hazardous Waste.
Empty Container Management
Pesticide applicators generally have questions about what to do with empty pesticide containers. Pesticide dealers will often take back large, empty, bulk-refillable containers, but smaller, empty containers are usually left for the consumer to address. Empty containers that have been triple rinsed can be disposed in a sanitary landfill, recycled or dispose by other methods allowed by the state. For more information regarding managing pesticide containers, review Pesticide Container Management - PUB2727.
*Under no circumstances should pesticide containers be burned. Missouri law prohibits the burning of pesticide containers, even on your own property. Pesticide containers can release highly toxic fumes and harmful residue when burned, even if the container has been properly rinsed.
Triple Rinsing
Most labels state to triple rinse your empty containers and pour the rinse water into your sprayer tank for future application. For a step-by-step guide to triple rinsing containers, review the How to Perform the Manual Triple Rinse video. For information on managing pesticide rinsate, review Pesticide Rinsate Management – PUB2870.
Container Recycling
Recycling pesticide containers is the preferred option. Nearly all plastic pesticide containers can be recycled. Ag Container Recycling Council (ACRC) is an industry-funded, not-for-profit organization that safely collects and recycles agricultural crop protection, animal health and specialty pest control product containers (jugs and drums) throughout the United States. Contractors hired by ACRC carry out the actual container collection and processing. Currently, G. Phillips and Sons LLC is the contractor for the ACRC in Missouri. If you have 1,500 pounds or more of rinsed jugs/ drums, G. Phillips and Sons LLC can pick them up free of charge at your farm or business.
If you are a crop grower or applicator and have less than 1,500 pounds of pesticide containers to dispose at any one time, contact your local ag dealer. Also, your pesticide supplier or local agriculture supply store may participate in ACRC's recycling program, providing a place to drop off small amounts of pesticide containers.
If you have any questions about how the G. Phillips and Sons LLC - ACRC Recycling Program works, or if you are a pesticide dealer/ applicator or other business interested in setting up a container collection drop off at your site, please contact G. Phillips and Sons LLC by telephone at 678-232-6047.
For recycling larger plastic pesticide containers, visit The Pesticide Stewardship Alliance website to find contact information for recycling companies in Missouri.
Container Disposal
Empty pesticide containers may be disposed as regular solid waste in the trash, provided they were triple-rinsed first. After triple rinsing, the cap should be removed and a slit cut into the container. This allows the collection/ disposal company to easily verify the container is empty and also prevents container re-use.
Resources
Fact Sheets
- How To Safely Transport Your Waste Pesticides - PUB2934
- Managing Pesticide Waste - PUB2596
- Missouri Pesticide Collection Program Brochure - PUB2603
- Pesticide Container Management - PUB2727
- Pesticide Rinsate Management - PUB2870
- Pesticide Waste Management Brochure - PUB2701
- Reducing the Impact of Flooding: Agricultural Chemicals - PUB2498
Videos
Additional Sources
Popular Links
Contact Information
Waste Management Program
Division of Environmental Quality
P.O. Box 176
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0176
United States