PEORIA – Peoria and Fulton Counties will have disposal opportunities for unwanted agricultural pesticides through a statewide “Clean Sweep” program, State Senator Dave Koehler announced.

“It’s important for the safety of our community and the health of our environment to dispose of these chemicals in a safe and responsible manner,” said Koehler (D-Peoria). “This program is accessible and helps take stress off our local farmers.”

The “Clean Sweep” program began in 1990 in Illinois.  Since the inception of the program, the Illinois Department of Agriculture has held 52 collection events through the state and collected 626,669 pounds of material from 2,196 participants. The collection is open to farmers, retired farmers, nursery owners, private pesticide applicators, structural pest control applicators and landowners who inherited unwanted agricultural pesticides with their property.

Individuals wanting to bring chemicals for disposal must register.  Forms can be obtained either by calling the IDOA Pesticide Hotline at 1-800-641-3934, online at https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/agr/Pesticides/Pages/Pesticide-Clean-Sweep-Program.aspx"> or by visiting a local program sponsor:

• Fulton County Soil and Water Conservation District, 13118 N. US Hwy. 24, Lewistown, IL 61542
• Peoria County Farm Bureau, 1716 N. University St., Peoria, IL 61604

“There are two main reasons to take advantage of this program,” said Brad Beaver, Acting Bureau Chief of Environmental Programs.  “The Department is able to provide the service free of charge thanks to a grant obtained from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  If individuals were to properly dispose of agrichemicals on their own, it could be expensive.  Secondly, the state of Illinois, not the program participant, will assume liability for the proper disposal of all materials collected.”

Completed forms should be returned to the Illinois Department of Agriculture by July 27.  Letters can be addressed to Clean Sweep Program, Illinois Department of Agriculture, State Fairgrounds, P.O. Box 19281, Springfield, IL, 62794. Once the forms are received, participants will be sent a reservation card with the date, time and location of their collection.