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FRANKFORT, Ky. — The Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Rinse and Return Program was inching closer to 1 million pounds of plastic chemical containers collected as the nation celebrated America Recycles Day on Nov. 15.
“This successful program has saved landfill space while providing material to create a wide variety of products from the recycled plastic,” Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer said. “I want to thank Department staff as well as our partners and all the farmers who have participated over the years.”
The Rinse and Return Program has collected 998,000 pounds of pesticide containers since its inception. Mark Wilson of the KDA’s Division of Environmental Services said the KDA is collecting fewer empty 1- and 1½-gallon containers that were common when the program began in 1991. “Less chemical is being sold in small containers,” he said. “Most are now sold in bulk.”
The KDA also collects large containers with a capacity of at least 15 gallons in its mini-bulk recycling program. The KDA has exceeded the 100,000-pound milestone in this program with 105,000 pounds of containers collected. Launched in 2000, it was the first statewide crop protectant mini-bulk recycling program in the country.
Rinse and Return is a voluntary, cooperative program sponsored by the Agri-Business Association of Kentucky. Other partners include Farm Bureau, the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service and its county agents, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and the local conservation districts.
The KDA’s chemical collection program picks up unwanted, outdated or banned pesticides at no cost to farmers. The Department has collected 450,000 pounds of chemicals since it began in 1991.
For more information about the Rinse and Return, mini-bulk recycling or chemical collection programs, contact the Division of Environmental Services toll-free at 1-800-205-6543.
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