Illinois Department of Agriculture to offer free recycling program for agrichemical containers
By Tribune Staff • The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) encourages farmers and agrichemical facilities to take part in a free agrichemical container recycling program. Beginning in the middle of July and continuing into August, sites throughout the state will collect containers that are recycled to make shipping pallets.
“Each year, this program gives farmers and agrichemical facilities an easy way to responsibly dispose of empty pesticide containers,” said IDOA Director Jerry Costello II. “Instead of ending up in the trash, these containers can be brought to a nearby collection site and handled the right way.”
Metal and household pesticide containers are not eligible for the recycling program. Collection sites will accept only high-density polyethylene, #2 plastic agrichemical containers that are clean and dry. Participants are responsible for rinsing them and removing all caps, valves, metal, labels, booklets and foil seals. Participants are also responsible for cutting off the top and bottom of plastic drums and cutting the side of the drum from top to bottom.
Mini-Bulk and Intermediate Bulk containers can be recycled via the Department’s container recycling program by making the following container preparations: Mini Bulk (cage) containers are required to be cut into separate top, bottom and sides, fittings discarded (no metal, no wood) (6 slabs of plastic). Intermediate Bulk Containers are to be cut into one-foot square pieces, fittings discarded (no metal, no wood). G. Phillips and Sons, LLC is offering services to pick up Mini-Bulk and Intermediate Bulk containers throughout the year. Call 678-232-6047 to learn more about their Mini-Bulk and Intermediate Bulk container collection service.
The program is a cooperative venture between the Illinois Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Container Recycling Council, GROWMARK, Inc., Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Association, G. Phillips and Sons, LLC, Illinois Farm Bureau and University of Illinois Extension.
To obtain a free brochure about the program, call the Illinois Department of Agriculture toll free at 1-800-641-3934.
Collection sites, dates and times for the 2026 Pesticide Container Recycling Program near Madison County are:
July 16 – 1 to 3 p.m. at Gateway FS in Waterloo – call Jacob Charron at 618-939-8237 for details.
July 17 – 9 to 11 a.m. at Nutrien Ag Sol, Inc. in New Baden – call John Engelmann at 618-588-3525 for details.
July 21 – 1 to 3 p.m. at Nutrian Ag Sol, Inc. in Vandalia – call Dylan Reeter at 618-780-8663 for details.
July 22 – 9 to 11 a.m. at M & M Service Co. in Girard – call Brian McKinney at 217-627-2151 for details.
