Reclamation of pesticides in New York State.
BACKGROUND
Unwanted agrichemicals pose a unique threat that many states now address this with statewide collection programs. In New York, this is done at the discretion of individual counties.


METHODS
We compiled and analyzed registration inventories from five separate county-based pesticide collections located in three different agricultural regions. Telephone surveys of thirty-one of New York's leading agricultural counties gathered information on their strategies for disposal of unwanted pesticides.


RESULTS
The combined collections yielded 54,214 pounds of pesticides from 123 farms (441 lbs/farm). The most common active ingredients collected included older (and often discontinued) agents such as organochlorine (5,355 lbs, 9.8%) and arsenic (3,832 lbs, 7.1%) compounds, as well as more modern and commonly used active ingredients such as organophosphate pesticides (3,200 lbs, 5.9%). Disposal costs ranged from $2.03 to $2.86 per pound. Data from three collections indicated that 27% of the recovered pesticide (13,123 lbs) was stored in "unacceptable", "leaky", or "poor" containers. Of 31 agricultural counties, only 17 (55%) have hosted at least one farm pesticide collection event in the past. Planning for future collections is quite limited.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a potentially large amount of toxic chemicals, some in decaying containers, that poses a risk to soil and groundwater in the state. The planning of future collections in New York State is haphazard. Carefully designed pesticide collection projects can be effective and should be a priority for local and state health officials.
Slingerland
D Tucker
DT
The New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health, The Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital, Atwell Road, Cooperstown, New York 13326, USA.
May
Elizabeth
E
Miles
Melissa
M
Church
Louis
L
D006256:Hazardous Waste; D009518:New York; D010575:Pesticides; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*
D006256:Hazardous Waste; D010575:Pesticides