Assessment of hazards associated with pesticide container disposal and of rinsing procedures as a means of enabling disposal of pesticide containers in sanitary landfills

Abstract

To study problems associated with pesticide container disposal, a small vegetable production area in southwestern Ontario, the Thedford Marsh, was selected as the site for a model study. A container collection system was organized during the 1981 growing season, with collections being made from the ca. 50 growers on the marsh twice each month. In addition to the regular collection program a cleanup service for empty pesticide containers stored on farms or discarded on public lands also was initiated. More than 3600 containers were collected and disposed of at an authorized landfill site. Ca. 2/3 were herbicide containers, ca. 1/4 were insecticide containers, and 3% were fungicide containers. Unrinsed containers contained as much as 5 1/2% of the original contents with an average of 1%. Containers rinsed by the triple rinse method or using rinsing devices (E-Z Rinse, JET Rinse) generally contained less than 0.1% of the original content. Some formulations presented rinsing problems due to settling and caking. The results indicated that, while unacceptable quantities of pesticide residues remain in unrinsed containers, most rinsed pesticide containers will be acceptable for disposal at municipal sanitary landfill sites.

Nail Varnish Packaging and Residue Wastes: Problems and Solutions

“…Use of suitable solvents (e.g. acetone; Remler, 1923) combined with a rinsing procedure (Miles et al, 1983) could provide a suitable means to remove residues. We note that such procedures have two key weaknesses (1) manual operations of this nature (see section 2.3) are onerous and time-consuming and do not offer a viable prospect at scale, and (2) waste products in the form of a mixture of acetone, water and nail varnish are generated.…”

“…A modified triple rinse procedure, originally used to clean pesticide containers, was utilized to remove residues of nail varnish from nail varnish packaging. This method was selected as it is an accepted, widely used cleaning method and it is suitable for glass and plastic containers used for nail varnish (Miles et al, 1983). All work had to be carried out within a fume cupboard due to the presence of volatile substances within the nail varnish residues.…”

Experimental investigation of the efficiency of triple rinsing of agricultural containers regarding their characterization as non-hazardous wastes

“…As regards the triple-rinsing procedure, in 1983 Miles et al assessed it along with problems associated with pesticide container disposal, in a small vegetable-production area in southwestern Ontario (Miles, Harris, and Morrow 1983). A container-collection system was organized, with collections being made from growers twice each month.…”

Development of an Experimental Plot Sprayer

“…Lamberton et al (4) stated that a simple rinsing with clear water can remove most pesticides from their containers. Miles et al (6) reported that triple rinsing with water left less than 0.1% of the original content in the container. Wesley et al (13) indicated that no visible 2,4-D injury on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) was detected after spraying with the washing water from the third and fourth rinsing cycles of a pesticide mixing system.…”