Characteristics of state agricultural pesticide collection programs

Advancements in technology and the development of new pesticides have profoundly affected agricultural production and the regulation of these dangerous substances by governments. In the US, nearly every State has taken action to remove unwanted pesticides that have accumulated in barns and other buildings. Surveys of state collection programs disclose, however, that many states have not collected many tons of unwanted pesticides. This paper examines existing and past state pesticide-disposal programs, and offers a comparison of some significant distinctions to provide ideas for future collection efforts. A regression analysis of state pesticide collection efforts offers some insights into state and program characteristics that have impacted the collection of pesticides. The regression results indicate that the existence of either grant or ‘tax’ based funding programs for pesticide collection increased the responsiveness of collections to expenditures.