Clean Sweep Programs - US Environmental Protection Agency

Summary of Hawaii Waste Pesticide Disposal ProgramHawaii conducted an agricultural pesticide collection and disposal program in 1987. This was a“pilot project” sponsored by the Office of Environmental Quality Control, which received a grant from EPA.A total of 12,471 pounds of pesticides were collected at six different locations from 86 farmers. The drumdisposal cost was $49,500 for 50 drums and the total program cost was $50,062. In 1989, the agriculturalcollections were combined with the household hazardous waste collection effort. The Department ofAgriculture and the Department of Health cooperated in running the program. Twenty drums of wastepesticides were collected from 44 farmers. This is estimated to be equivalent to 5,000 pounds of pesticides,assuming 250 pounds per drum, which was the average in 1987. The cost for drum disposal was$17,300. During the 1989 program, different processing and permitting procedures were used foragricultural and household waste due to liability considerations and to ensure that HHW were not mixedwith regulated waste pesticides.A 1991 report from the Department of Health recommended limiting the state-funded collection ofagricultural pesticides. The report stated that developing federal FIFRA regulations and anticipated changesto Hawaii’s hazardous waste requirements would “weaken the justification for continuing to collect farmer’swaste pesticides”.Hawaii Table 1 - Quantity of Pesticides CollectedYearQuantity ofPesticides (pounds)Number ofParticipantsAverage Quantity ofPesticides perParticipant(pounds/participant)ProgramCostAverage Cost(per pound)1987 12,471 86 farmers 145 $50,062 $4.011989 5,000* 44 farmers 114 $17,300 $3.46TOTAL 17,471 130 134 $67,362 $3.86* Estimate estimated based on 20 drums collected, assuming 250 pounds per drum.