Clean Sweep Programs - US Environmental Protection Agency

Summary of Mississippi Waste Pesticide Disposal ProgramIn 1994, the Mississippi Legislature authorized a four-year Waste Pesticide Collection and DisposalProgram, funded through an increase in product registration fees, of which $50 went to pay for collectionevents. The program was conducted in five phases: planning, advertising and bid solicitation, contractorevaluation and bid award, logistical preparations, and collection. During its four year life, the programcollected and disposed of more than 800,000 pounds of waste pesticide since it began. The collectionevents were held in different counties each year. Waste oil and batteries were collected with pesticides untilfunding became limited.Program managers note that the main problem was the sunset clause in their funding legislation,resulting in the end of the program in that format on June 30, 1998. In 1999, a grant was obtained from theTennessee Valley Authority and over 23,600 pounds of pesticide were collected. Funding for the 2000collection came from an EPA grant under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act to the Mississippi Departmentof Environmental Quality.Dr. Jimmy Bonner, from Mississippi’s Extension Environmental Education Unit, outlined the stepsMississippi followed and provided guidance on conducting a successful Clean Sweep program. Thisdocument, titled “Planning a Waste Pesticide Disposal Program,” is an excellent resource and can beobtained from the Mississippi State University Extension Service website at http://msucares.com/pubs/pub2194.htm.YearMississippi Table 1 - Quantity of Pesticides CollectedQuantity of Pesticides(pounds)Program CostAverage Cost (per pound)1994 22,970 $71,960 $3.131995 257,621 $311,964 $1.211996 167,617 $170,832 $1.021997 153,463 $222,667 $1.451998 214,433 $259,876 $1.211999 23,623 $29,485 $1.242000 150,159 no data NATOTAL 989,886 More than $1,066,784 $1.27 (through 1999)Information on the number of participants is not available.NA = not applicable