The Illinois Department of Agriculture is encouraging farmers to save their empty agrichemical containers.  The department announced today it has arranged to recycle them.    

Beginning in late July, sites throughout the state will collect the containers and recycle them into small plastic chips that will be used to make shipping pallets, fence posts, drainage tubing, plastic lumber and other useful products.

“This program offers farmers a convenient opportunity to dispose of empty pesticide containers and demonstrate their environmental stewardship,” Agriculture Director Bob Flider said.  “I would encourage them to gather any containers that they may have been planning to throw in the garbage and take them to the nearest collection site.”   

Metal and household pesticide containers are not eligible for the recycling program.  Collection sites will accept only high-density polyethylene, #2 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, Agriculture Container Recycling Council, GROWMARK, Inc., Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association, Container Services Network, 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 1-800-641-3934.

The collection sites and dates for the 2014 Pesticide Container Recycling Program are as follows:

Permanent collection sites:

County         Location                                         City                  Contact                    Phone #

Greene         Illinois Valley Supply                       Carrollton        George Staples         217-942-6991         

Lawrence     Klein Flying Service                        Lawrenceville  Robert Klein             618-884-1040

McLean        Randolph Ag Service                      Heyworth        Brad Hamilton         309-473-3256                                                                                           

Single Day Collection Sites:

Site hours are 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Site hours are 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

*** Site hours are 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Date, Time        Location                   Contact

7/29 PM         Prairieland FS               Mike Smith

Pike                Pittsfield                       217-285-4477

7/30 AM         Prairieland FS               Dick Stilts

Morgan          Jacksonville                  217-243-6561

7/30 PM         Sunrise Ag                    Mike Schone

Cass                Virginia                        217-452-3936

7/31 AM       Prairieland  FS                Aaron Winner

Schuyler        Rushville                        217-322-2024

7/31 PM                                      Chem-Gro               Todd Nelson

Hancock        Bowen                           217-842-5514

8/1 AM          CPS                                Travis Weaver

McDonough  Blandinsville                  309-652-3694

8/4 PM          Gold Star FS                   Dave Cooper

Mercer         Aledo                             309-582-7271

8/5 AM          River Valley Coop                     Shane Schmidt

Henry           Galva                             309-932-2081

8/5 PM           Gold Star FS                  Nick Isenhart

Whiteside       Lyndon                          815-778-3331

8/6 AM           Pearl City Elevator       Mark Wells

Stephenson    Dakota                          815-449-2254 

8/6 PM         Conserv FS                     Jeff Baxter

Winnebago   Rockford                        815-963-7669

8/7 AM         Conserv FS                     Jeff Kimmel

McHenry      Marengo                       815-568-7211

8/7 PM         Hintzsche Fert.              Dan Moore

DeKalb          Kirkland                         815-522-3251

8/8 AM         Grainco FS                     Steve Puetz

LaSalle          Lostant                          815-368-3215

8/11 PM       Buroughs Ag Service     Mark Stange

Woodford     Toluca                           815-452-2377

8/12 AM       Agland FS                      Mark Alvey

Peoria           Hanna City                    309-565-4315

8/12 PM       Agland FS                      Travis Rudat

Tazewell       Green Valley                 309-352-2700

8/13 AM        DCM Crop Care            George Clark

Tazewell       Deer Creek                    309-447-6456

8/13 PM       CPS                                Steve Schaffer

Livingston     Saunemin                      815-832-4491

8/14 AM       Chebanse Ag                 Dean Schafer

Kankakee      Chebanse                      815-697-2392

8/14 PM       Weber Fertilizer            Delmar Ecker

Iroquois         Buckley                          217-394-2042

8/15 AM       United Prairie               Ben Rawlins

Champaign   Tolono                           217-485-6000

8/18 AM       Effingham Equity          Rodney Schultz

Effingham    Montrose                      217-342-3123

8/25 PM       Irvington Elevator          Steve Seidel

Washington  Irvington                         618-249-6206

8/26 ***       Bockhorn Ag                              Leslie Bockhorn

Randolph      Sparta                            618-443-3905

8/26 PM         Gateway FS                   Jerry Roosevelt

Monroe         Waterloo                       618-282-4000

8/27 ***       CPS                                 Jeff Haas

Clinton          New Baden                     618-588-3525

8/28 AM       Woolsey Brothers          Herb Woolsey

Fayette         Vandalia                         618-283-1263

8/28 PM       Effingham Equity           Rodney Schultz

Christian       Pana                               217-342-3123

8/29 AM       M & M Service              Dwayne Krager

Macoupin     Girard                             217-627-2151