Between November 2009 and June 2010, Operation Cleansweep provided pickup and disposal service to 62 participants in 26 counties and collected more than 103,000 pounds of cancelled, suspended and unusable pesticides for proper disposal.

Operation Cleansweep, which previously has been a free service to pesticide users, was not funded by the Legislature for State Fiscal Year 2010-2011 (July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011). As a result, Operation Cleansweep will not be a free service this year. However, the state disposal pricing contract is still in effect and will be honored by the contractor for any pesticide user who wants to take advantage of this greatly reduced price for disposal. The state contract price for disposal of pesticides is $0.89 per pound ($100 minimum per participant).

The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, with the help of county ag agents, county solid waste personnel, product dealers and trade associations, will collect names, addresses, quantities and types of cancelled, suspended and unusable pesticides from participants and verify this information. When we have a sufficient quantity of product in a defined area, we will dispatch the contractor to each participant's farm or business facility to package, transport and dispose of your cancelled, suspended and unusable pesticides. A flyer provides details and instructions on how to sign up for this reduced “state contract” price pick-up service. You may email either Robin Waddell of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services or call toll-free at 877-851-5285 to sign up. We expect to begin pick-up collection and disposal services in the winter of 2010-2011.