Grimes County event collected almost 75,000 pounds of unwanted pesticides and chemicals

AUSTIN- Today, Commissioner Sid Miller proudly announced that the Grimes County pesticide waste removal event, hosted by the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Navasota, Texas, collected an estimated 75,000 pounds of unwanted pesticides from more than 100 participating producers. This was another in a series of free public events that provide agricultural producers across the state with a safe and convenient way to dispose of unwanted pesticides and recycle pesticide containers.

“These events are critically important to our producers as well as our environment,” said Commissioner Miller. “TDA is proud to offer a simple, safe, and efficient way for producers to dispose of these hazardous materials. It’s all part of being good stewards of Texas land now and into the future. This program would not be possible without the faithful commitment of producers around the state and their commitment to partner with our agency to protect our land, our wildlife, and our people. They all deserve our thanks and gratitude.”

Accepted items included outdated, discontinued, or unwanted agricultural pesticides, poisons, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, rodenticides, nematicides, growth regulators, and treated seeds. Items not accepted included dioxins (such as 2,4-5T, Silvex, and TCDD), fertilizers, fumigant canisters, household hazardous waste, methyl bromide cylinders, motor oil, paint, pesticide rinsate, phostoxin, propane or butane cylinders, radioactive substances, and tires.

TDA is the state’s lead agency for regulating pesticide use and application and oversees pesticide applicator licensing and training, worker protection, pesticide registration, and efforts to minimize unnecessary agricultural impacts.

For more information on waste disposal, contact the Texas Department of Agriculture at 512-463-7622.