Safe Disposal Methods for Agricultural Pesticide Wastes

摘要

A systematic evaluation of disposal systems for diluted waste pesticides was conducted at two Iowa State University experimental farms. One system, located at the Horticultural Research Station, consisted of a 30,000-liter concrete-lined pit filled with a layer of soil between two layers of gravel and equipped with a rain-activated cover. The second system, located at the Agronomy-Agricultural Engineering Center, involved two polyethylene-lined pits. In addition to investigation of these macropit disposal systems, a study was made of 56 covered, vented minipits where additions of pesticides were controlled. Evaluation of the pit disposal systems included detailed chemical sampling of the systems and their surrounding environments, identification and counts of bacterial populations, entomological studies, estimation of pesticide volatilization rates, and evaluation of pit design for efficiency, effectiveness, and convenience of operation.