AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - The state of Maine is asking residents to round up their old banned and unusable pesticides and register to dispose of them safely.
The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry says the weed- and bug-killers must be disposed of properly because otherwise they can harm human health and the environment. The state asks residents to pre-register by Oct. 5 to dispose of pesticides in Portland, Augusta, Bangor or Presque Isle.
The state says the pesticide disposal program has kept more than 103 tons of pesticides out of the waste stream since 1982. It's funded through product registration fees. The program is called the Obsolete Pesticide Collection and it's sponsored by state agencies and is free.
To register and learn important information about the temporary storage and transportation of obsolete pesticides, go to the BPC Web site at thinkfirstspraylast.org , or call 207-287-2731.
• For more information on the Maine Board of Pesticides Control, go to: thinkfirstspraylast.org.
• For more information on the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, go to: maine.gov/dep
Collections will occur at four sites: Presque Isle, Bangor, Augusta, and Portland.
