If you have old pesticides collecting dust in your garage, bring them to Georgia Clean Day. Clean day allows farmers and homeowners to legally dispose of old pesticides or pesticides that are no longer labeled for use.

Pesticides will be collected Jan. 31 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the McGill-Woodruff Ag Center in Washington, Ga. Due to the logistics of safe handling and hauling capacity, this clean day event will only accept pesticides from residents in Elbert, Glascock, Greene, Lincoln, McDuffie, Oglethorpe, Taliaferro, Warren and Wilkes counties.

Pesticides in leaking containers or those disposed of improperly may cause environmental damage by contaminating water supplies or harming people and wildlife. Some pesticides that were previously in use also need to be disposed.

Clean day provides an opportunity to safely discard old, unusable or canceled pesticides. No fees are charged for participation in this program, and all accepted materials will be disposed of by a hazardous waste contractor. It typically costs between $2-3 per pound to dispose of these materials.

Pre-registration is required by Jan. 21. This service is available on a first come, first serve basis. Be sure to register early to ensure your spot. Registration forms and additional information are available at local University of Georgia Cooperative Extension offices.

The Georgia Department of Agriculture, through funding provided by the Georgia General Assembly, organizes and administers this program in collaboration with the UGA Extension offices in the nine, targeted counties.