Pesticide Collection Days

Nova Scotia farmers will have one more free opportunity to dispose of unwanted and obsolete commercial pesticides.

Operation Clean Sweep, a one-time collection program funded by the Nova Scotia Departments of Agriculture and Marketing and the Environment, the Crop Protection Institute of Canada and its Atlantic Council, and retail pesticide dealers will be held today, tomorrow and Thursday at three collection sites across the province.

The following collection sites will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. all three days:

• Fundy Fertilizers, Kentville
• Truro Agromart, Truro
• Bragg Lumber, Collingwood, Cumberland County

"Farmers are good stewards of our environment and natural resources, and know how important it is to get unwanted pesticides off farms," said Agriculture and Marketing Minister Ed Lorraine. "By taking advantage of this program, producers can ensure that the pesticides will be disposed of properly and without cost to them."

Environment Minister Don Downe agreed. "The last pesticide disposal program was very successful, and a lot of unwanted or obsolete pesticides were disposed of. It is very important that these materials are not discarded inappropriately, where they may have a negative impact on the environment."

An environmental disposal company will collect the pesticides from the sites and transport them to an approved disposal site.

Operation Clean Sweep is for commercial pesticides only and is the last time such a program will be offered free to producers.