Flood Cleanup – Home and Garden Pesticides

Many homeowners and renters tend to keep their home and garden pesticides under their sinks, in their basements or stored in their garages.  These locations are often the places where flood waters gather. Once the waters recede the clean up begins you should take some extra steps when dealing with the weed killers, ant sprays and other pesticides.

Preparing for Disposal

• Find a sturdy plastic tub, bucket, or metal container.  Containers with lids are best. If these containers aren’t available, use a dry, sturdy cardboard box.
• If you’re using a cardboard box, place one heavy garbage bag (heavy duty lawn and leaf bag works well) inside another bag and place this double-bag inside the container or box.
• If boxes or containers are not available, damaged or unwanted pesticides can be placed into a two plastic lawn/leaf or garbage bags (one bag inside the other).
• Place the pesticide products that you no longer want into the container, lined box or double bag.  The double liner will contain any leaks, spills or seepage and the box or containers will keep the products steady during transport to a Clean Sweep collection or other collection site.
• Wear gloves in case any product you handle has leaked, seeped or spilled out of the container.

Product Evaluation

• Any paper-type canisters or boxes that contain powders or dusts will likely be wet or moist and are no longer worth keeping.
• If labels are missing or damaged, dispose of the pesticide.  Even if you are positive what was in the container and the container is intact, the label contains the use directions and the label is the law.  Don’t risk product misuse of the pesticide. 
• Metal cans are at risk for rusting which can lead to leakage.  Unless you know that the can remained dry, dispose of it.
• Liquid pesticides inside plastic bottles with a tightly closed lid should be fine for continued use as long as the product label is intact.  

Disposal – Clean Sweep

• Your best option is to use your County Clean Sweep event.  Vernon County residents can go to the collection events scheduled in September.  Lacrosse County has a permanent collection site for their residents. 
• For details on dates, times, locations go to http://www.datcp.state.wi.us/arm/agriculture/pest-fert/pesticides/clean-sweep/map_2008.jsp.
• If your county does not have clean sweep events scheduled, WHO TO CONTACT?

For questions on household chemical disposal, contact Roger Springman, 608-224-4545 or visit our Clean Sweep web pages.

Flood Cleanup – Farm Pesticides and Fertilizers

Many farms keep pesticides and fertilizers in sheds or other farm buildings. After the flood waters recede, assessing your stored agrichemicals will be necessary including the possibility of disposal.

Preparing for Disposal

• Find a sturdy plastic tub, bucket, or metal container.  Containers with lids are best. If these containers aren’t available, use a dry, sturdy cardboard box.
• If you’re using a cardboard box, place one heavy garbage bag (heavy duty lawn and leaf bag works well) inside another bag and place this double-bag inside the container or box.
• If boxes or containers are not available, damaged or unwanted pesticides can be placed into a two plastic lawn/leaf or garbage bags (one bag inside the other).
• Place the pesticide products that you no longer want into the container, lined box or double bag.  The double liner will contain any leaks, spills or seepage and the box or containers will keep the products steady during transport to a Clean Sweep collection or other collection site.
• Wear gloves in case any product you handle has leaked, seeped or spilled out of the container.

Assessment of Pesticides and Fertilizers

• If you know that a pesticide or fertilizer container has stayed above water, it is probably fine for use.  However, if the product is stored inside a cardboard or paper-type canister or box, moisture may have gotten inside and the product may eventually harden and the product effectiveness will be reduced.
• Pesticide or fertilizers stored in opened paper-type containers, foil wraps or plastic bags that have had significant contact or water should be considered contaminated and disposed of.
• If the product container is an unopened, plastic jugs or containers or foil wraps should remain useable.
• If there are containers that appear to be contaminated or saturated from floodwaters, dispose of them.
• If product labels have been damaged or have come off, dispose of the product. The label contains your use directions and is the law.  You do not want to risk misuse or misapplication.
• If the product was in a plastic bag that was partially opened, double-bag the pesticide (two heavy lawn and leaf bags work well) and dispose of the pesticide.

Spilled Pesticides

• If the pesticide or fertilizer has spilled, seeped or leaked, allow the product to dry, then take a shovel and remove loose particles from the floor and place it inside a garbage can, wash tub or other sturdy, leak proof container.
• If larger quantities of pesticides or fertilizers stored in paper or permeable containers or bags that have come into contact with flood waters while stored on barn or shed floors, there is a potential for significant soil contamination.  Wet bags can give way when moved.  In this case, allow products to dry then carefully place in garbage cans, wash tubs or sturdy plastic tubs for disposal.
• If you have large quantities of compromised pesticides or fertilizers that need to be disposed, contact Roger Springman, Wisconsin Clean Sweep program manager, (608) 224-4545.