Recycle Your Pesticide Containers

Aug 17, 2022

By Elizabeth Danielson

Recycling is the environmentally friendly and responsible way of disposing of empty pesticide containers. In 2021, over 803,000 pounds of pesticide containers were collected and recycled in Iowa. Recycling options vary depending on the container size.

Recycling containers 55 gallons or smaller

The Ag Container Recycling Council (ACRC) works with private and state contractors across the United States to collect and recycle 55-gallon or smaller containers. In most cases, there is no collection fee for growers and commercial applicators.

The ACRC accepts containers that previously held products used in agricultural crop protection, animal health, and specialty pest control. Also accepted are micronutrient, biologicals, fertilizer, and adjuvant containers. Please note that containers that originally held consumer products, or home and garden pesticides are not acceptable.

The current Iowa ACRC Contractor is G. Phillips and Sons. To set up a pickup, call G. Phillips & Sons at 319-248-5550 or email them at pickup@gpsagrecycle.com. Download and use the container preparation checklist to ensure your containers are ready for recycling.

Recycling mini-bulk and intermediate bulk containers

The Pesticide Stewardship Alliance (TPSA) provides resources on managing mini-bulk and intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) including information on cleaning and preparing containers for recycling and a listing for companies that will collect and recycle these containers. Eight companies are currently listed offering mini-bulk and IBCs recycling services for Iowa.

Recycling other ag plastics

The ACRC provides a listing of recycling programs for agricultural plastics and products that are not included in their program.

Source : iastate.edu

Video: Root Exudates, Soil Biology, and How Plants Recruit Microbes | Field Talk Friday

Field Talk Friday | Dr. John Murphy | Root Exudates, Soil Biology, and How Plants Recruit Microbes

Most of us spend our time managing what we can see above ground—plant height, leaf color, stand counts, and yield potential. But the deeper you dig into agronomy, the more you realize that some of the most important processes driving crop performance are happening just millimeters below the surface.

In this episode of Field Talk Friday, Dr. John Murphy continues the soil biology series by diving into one of the most fascinating topics in modern agronomy: root exudates and the role they play in shaping the microbial world around plant roots.

Roots are not passive structures simply pulling nutrients out of the soil. They are active participants in the underground ecosystem. Plants constantly release compounds into the soil—sugars, amino acids, organic acids, and other molecules—that act as both energy sources and signals for soil microbes.