ISLE OF WIGHT—Isle of Wight County Extension Agent Janet Spencer has reported that about 4,000 plastic pesticide containers were recycled in the county on July 22. That’s a joint venture between the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service

These containers are shredded into granules, which can later be molded into new pesticide containers, agricultural drain pipes, speed bumps, parking stops, hazardous waste drums, scaffold nailing strips, commercial truck sub-floor support members, and dock and seawall pilings, according to a brochure created by the state’s plastic pesticide container recycling program.

“We store the containers in a metal trailer on Poor House Road. The farmers are required to bring them either triple-rinsed or jet-rinsed with the caps and labels removed,” Spencer said. “They need to call the extension office to set up a drop-off time. The second round of recycling is usually held in November.”

She said the county recycled approximately 6,500 containers in 2011. The next year the figure was about 8,000.

“We’ve had just the one recycling event so far this year, and I would estimate we recycled about 4,000 plastic pesticide containers, which should be about half of what we can expect for the year.”

To learn more about the recycling program in Isle of Wight, contact Spencer at 365-6261 or email jaashle2@vt.edu.