Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, July 28, 1994 TAG: 9408190010
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LYNCHBURG LENGTH: Medium
The project cleaned up 222,000 pounds of chemicals in Virginia this year, exceeding estimates by 39 percent.
Pesticides were collected during May and June, and final tallies were released this week. The program is designed to help farmers, dealers and other businesses that use pesticides dispose of their unwanted, outdated and banned pesticides free of charge.
Dan Schweitzer, coordinator of the state's Office of Pesticide Management, had earlier estimated a haul of 160,000 pounds from the 22 localities.
``After three years of doing the program, the word is out there that this is truly an amnesty program and the farmers came out of the walls this year,'' Schweitzer said.
As the amount of pesticides escalated, so did the cost of the program - $625,000 rather than the $454,000 estimated. But Schweitzer said the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services was able to cover the added expense.
The program is funded through grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and pesticide fees collected by the state agriculture department.
Most of the money - $613,000 - was used to pay Clean Harbors Environmental Services Inc., the Richmond company hired to pack up the pesticides and transport them to EPA-approved incinerators and landfills. The remainder of the money went toward laboratory tests of unlabeled pesticides and compensation to Cooperative Extension agents, who did the legwork to identify collection sites.
More than 530 farms and businesses participated in the program. Greensville County collected more than 24,000 pounds.
Although pesticide dealers, golf courses and other businesses qualified to be part of the program, Schweitzer said the bulk of materials collected were from ``the average Virginia farmer.'' The most common pesticide found statewide was DDT, he said.
by CNB