Pesticides can be an excellent tool for stopping weeds, bug infestations, and diseases in your commercial facility or farm. But, it also means more regulations that you need to be aware of as a business owner. Following California’s pesticide removal guidelines helps ensure that your business is compliant and that dangerous chemicals aren’t impacting our water quality or solid waste streams. To ensure your company follows California’s regulations, learn more about how to dispose of pesticides below.
Proper Disposal of Pesticides in California
Regardless of what you’re growing, you likely use pesticides as a cultivator in California. And, if you’ve ever read your pesticide labels, it probably comes as no surprise that there are some special regulations to be aware of. There are a couple of different aspects and options that businesses should know regarding safe disposal of pesticides.
Commercial Disposal Sites
You might already be familiar with your area’s household hazardous waste (HHW) collection program. While these programs usually aren’t open to commercial generators, there are similar options for businesses called commercial disposal sites. Depending on the number and types of pesticides that your company uses, California’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Pesticide Regulations can help you determine your options for proper disposal.
Pesticide Container Disposal
Don’t forget to consider your pesticide containers as well! Safely discarding these materials is just as crucial as the disposal of the chemicals themselves. Pour any excess into your pesticide applicator sprayer, and then begin triple-rinsing the original container. After each rinse, transfer the rinse water into a tank. Once the empty pesticide containers are properly cleaned out, secure the tops and rinse the outside to remove any remaining pesticide residue. Finally, store the container in a safe area until you can properly recycle it according to your local California regulations.
Pesticides and Cannabis Waste
If you’re using chemicals to keep pests away from your cannabis plants, you’ll have another layer of disposal regulations to keep in mind. Leftover unused pesticides can likely be treated as universal waste, but anything that’s come into contact with THC is considered a special regulated waste. This means you’ll be responsible for additional handling, tracking, tracing, and processing of your waste.
Benefits of Using a Waste Management Company
If you’d rather skip the headache of trying to understand your generator category, locate a proper disposal location, and haul your waste there, then you may benefit from enlisting the help of a professional California waste management company. These services will help you throughout the process of pesticide waste disposal. From managing your pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides to recycling your pesticide containers and more, you can rest assured that your business is staying compliant with local, state, and national regulations.
Easy Waste Management is a trusted provider of responsible waste management for businesses in the greater Los Angeles area. We adhere to federal, state, and local laws and are universal, hazardous, and cannabis waste disposal experts. Use our contact information to start setting up your business with a free consultation on how we can help you properly manage your company’s used, unused, or unwanted pesticide products today.
Readers Note: Rules and regulations may vary from state to state. Always contact your local solid waste facility or environmental agency for guidance on disposal requirements in your area.
