LAKE 

- Illinois residents can dispose of unwanted agrichemicals for free this year through the Illinois Department of Agriculture's (IDOA) agricultural pesticide "Clean Sweep" program. IDOA will host ten sites in central and southwestern Illinois.  "Clean Sweep" collections have been scheduled for Montgomery, Macoupin, Bond, Clinton, Fayette, Jersey, , Madison, Marion, Monroe, and St. Clair counties. The collection, which rotates among Illinois counties is open to farmers, retired farmers, nursery owners, private pesticide applicators, structural pest control applicators and landowners who inherited unwanted agricultural pesticides with their property. Participants must register the products they plan to dispose of by July 28. Registration is required to give the waste disposal contractor time to prepare for the different kinds of materials that will need to be handled. Forms can be obtained either by calling the Illinois Department of Agriculture's Pesticide Hotline at 1-800-641-3934, on the IDOA website or by visiting one of the sponsors listed.  

Completed forms should be mailed or faxed to the Illinois Department of Agriculture at Clean Sweep Program, Illinois Department of Agriculture, State Fairgrounds, P.O. Box 19281, Springfield, IL, 62794-9281. The fax number is (217) 524-4882. Participants will be sent a reservation card indicating the date, time and location of their collection.  You can visit the Montgomery County Farm Bureau and SWCD in Hillsboro, the Macoupin County Farm Bureau and SWCD in Carlinville, Bond County SWCD and Farm Bureau  in Greenville, the University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Service in Vandalia, the Madison County Farm Bureau and SWCD in Edwardsville, the Jersey County SWCD in Jerseyville and the Clinton County Farm Bureau and SWCD in Breese.