Pesticide Disposal

Pesticides are toxic chemicals and should always be disposed of properly. 

How to Prevent Pollution from Garden & Yard Chemicals

Garden and yard chemicals, such as pesticides and fertilizers, wash off during storms or through excess irrigation water and flow into storm drains, streams, and the Bay without treatment. This will affect the health of fish, wildlife, and people.

  • Reduce the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers by adopting a holistic approach towards sustainable gardening.
  • Practice Integrated Pest Management (IPM). It integrates biological, physical, and least-toxic chemical pest prevention and control methods. IPM uses fewer chemicals and often saves money.

Learn More

To learn more about IPM and how to manage specific pests or plants, visit the University of California’s Agriculture and Natural Resources webpage. IPM has five fields of control: habitat modification, management or cultural practices, physical control or exclusion, biological control, and chemical control. Below are examples of these fields of control:

  1. Habitat modification: When you have an ongoing ant problem, control the source of food and water for ants.
  2. Management or Cultural Practices: For continued weed problems in your lawn, mow often but mow high.
  3. Physical Control or Exclusion: Caulk holes on walls to keep mice away.
  4. Biological Control: Use ladybugs that eat aphids off of your plants.
  5. Chemical Control: When none of the above has worked and the pest becomes intolerable, use the least toxic chemicals available.

Sustainable Gardening Tips

Are you interested in reducing pesticide use while implementing money-saving soil and water conservation practices, too? Be sure to landscape and garden the Bay-friendly way. Visit South Bay Green Gardens and the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency for free landscaping workshops, and check out these free resources below:

Request IPM Services from Your Pest Management Company

Ask if their practitioners follow IPM techniques. You can find IPM service providers in the Bay Area through EcoWise, the Bio-Integral Resource Center, or through the Santa Clara Valley Green Gardeners.

Purchase Non-toxic or Less-Toxic Products

Some products, due to their active ingredient or method of application, are non-toxic. This means they have a lesser chance of  polluting our water or coming in to contact with people and pets. An easy-to-use guide for non-toxic or less-toxic products can be found at Our Water Our World.

Pesticides and Water Quality

Pesticides used to control pests in and around buildings and homes, as well as in lawns and gardens, are washed away by rainwater and irrigation water runoff ultimately flowing into the storm drains, creeks, and the San Francisco Bay. 

Even very small amounts of pesticides can be toxic to aquatic life and can impact our drinking water supplies. Urban sources of pesticides are threats to human health and the health of our watershed.

Resources