Agrichemical container recycling program available         

[JULY 14, 2005]  SPRINGFIELD -- Illinois farmers soon will have a cheap and convenient opportunity to dispose of their empty agrichemical containers.

The Illinois Department of Agriculture has arranged to offer a free pesticide container recycling program this summer. Beginning in July, sites throughout the state will collect the containers and grind them into small plastic chips that will be used to make shipping pallets, fence posts, drainage tubing, plastic lumber and hazardous waste drums.

"This program has collected more than 1.9 million containers destined for our landfills and recycled them into useful products," Agriculture Director Chuck Hartke said. "It’s an example of the effort Illinois farmers are making to protect our environment."

Metal and household pesticide containers are not eligible for the recycling program. Collection sites will accept only No. 2 high-density polyethylene plastic agrichemical containers that are clean and dry. Participants are responsible for rinsing them and removing all caps, labels, booklets and foil seals.

The program is a cooperative venture between the Illinois Department of Agriculture, the Agriculture Container Recycling Council, GROWMARK Inc., the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association, Tri-Rinse Inc., United Agri-Products, UAP Richter, the Illinois Farm Bureau, and University of Illinois Extension.

To obtain a free brochure about the program, call the Illinois Department of Agriculture toll-free at 1 [phone].

The collection sites and dates for the recycling program are as follows:

Permanent collection sites:

County	Location	Contact
Greene	Illinois Valley Supply Carrollton	John Quandt(217) 942-6991
McLean	Randolph Ag Heyworth	Dee Hamilton(309) 473-3256
Warren	Monmouth Grain Monmouth	Cecil Lovdahl(309) 734-8423
Wayne	Wabash Valley Ellery	Mike Wilson(618) 446-5160

Single-day collection sites:

Date	Location	Contact
July 18 1-4 p.m.	Weber Fertilizer Buckley	Delmar Ecker [phone]
July 18 8-11 a.m.	Heritage FS St. George	Jeff LaFollett [phone]
July 19 1-4 p.m.	CPS Saunemin	Steve Schaffer [phone]
July 20 8-11 a.m.	DCM Crop Care Deer Creek	Kelly Maas [phone]
July 20 1-4 p.m.	Agland FS Green Valley	Mike Neill [phone]
July 21 8-11 a.m.	Agland FS Hanna City	Mark Alvey [phone]
July 21 1-4 p.m.	Gateway Coop Galva	Tom Nash [phone]
July 22 8-11 a.m.	Mer-Roc FS Aledo	Greg Howard [phone]

Single-day collection sites (continued):

Date	Location	Contact
July 25 1-4 p.m.	Gold Star FS Lyndon	Jerry Beranik [phone]
July 26 8-11 a.m.	Dakota Co-op Dakota	Tom Wells [phone]
July 26 1-4 p.m.	Conserv FS Rockford	Bernie Parisot(815) 963-7669
July 27 8-11 a.m.	Northern FS Marengo	Jeff Kimmel [phone]
July 27 1-4 p.m.	Hintzsche Fertilizer DeKalb	Ron Hintzsche [phone]
July 28 8-11 a.m.	LaSalle County FS Lostant	Steve Puetz [phone]
Aug. 1 1-4 p.m.	Effingham Equity Effingham	Jamie Southard [phone]
Aug. 2 8-11 a.m.	Woolsey Brothers Vandalia	Herb Woolsey [phone]
Aug. 2 1-4 p.m.	Mount Vernon Elevator Mount Vernon	Danny Farmer Mount Vernon
Aug. 3 8-11 a.m.	Bockhorn Ag Sparta	Cheri Brewer [phone]
Aug. 3 1-4 p.m.	Gateway FS Waterloo	Jerry Roosevelt [phone]
Aug. 4 8-11 a.m.	Royster-Clark New Baden	Jeff Haas [phone]
Aug. 4 1-4 p.m.	Bergmann-Taylor St. Jacob	Patty Taylor [phone]
Aug. 5 8-11 a.m.	M & J Fertilizer Pana	Steve Morrell [phone]
Aug. 8 1-4 p.m.	Two Rivers FS/Pittsfield	Mike Smith [phone]
Aug. 9 8-11 a.m.	Chem-Gro Bowen	Todd Nelson [phone]
Aug. 9 1-4 p.m.	UAP Richter Blandinsville	Lee Ward [phone]
Aug. 10 8-11 a.m.	Two Rivers FS? Rushville	Aaron Winner [phone]
Aug. 10 1-4 p.m.	Sunrise Ag Service Virginia	Mike Beck [phone]
Aug. 11 8-11 a.m.	Lincoln Land FS Jacksonville	Mark Millburg [phone]
Aug. 11 1-4 p.m.	M & M Service Girard	Zane Rutherford [phone]

[Illinois Department of Agriculture news release]

---