Good practice:

Recycling programme of pesticide packaging

R.U. of Larissa has a strong agricultural sector. Until recently, a common practice was to burn the empty pesticide packaging alongside with agriculture residues, releasing hazardous pollutants to the atmosphere. Moreover, abandoned pesticide packaging can lead to pesticide pollution in soil and groundwater. Empty pesticide packaging is hazardous to both people and the environment, unless managed correctly.
In addition, since 2015 the safe disposal and management of empty pesticide packaging is mandatory pursuant to law 4036/2012.
To this end, Solid Waste Management Association of the R.U. of Larissa and the Region of Thessaly inaugurated in 2015 a programme of collection and recycling of pesticide packaging.
The programme started as a pilot action in specific municipalities in 2013 and expanded in the whole regional unit in 2015 and is therefore implemented in a yearly basis. The programme includes information and awareness activities, while specific dates and selected sites are set for the collection of pesticides packaging in each Municipality.
The farmers are instructed to decontaminate the pesticide packaging (triple rinsing) and to place it in a separate plastic bag.
Stakeholders: Department of Agricultural Development of Thessaly, Solid Waste Management Association of Larissa, Hellenic Plant Protection Association, 7 Municipalities of Larissa, Geotechnical Chamber of Greece & Association of Agricultural Association of Larissa.
Beneficiaries: Farmers

Budget: 25.000€/year, approximately

100 farmers participated in the initial pilot in 2013, while 1.000 farmers were involved in the activity within the next few years.
2014 - 2,86tn
2015 - 4,72tn
2016 - 5,36tn
2017 - not implemented.
2018 - not implemented.
2019 - 2,67tn
2020 - 5,06tn

Since empty pesticide packaging is hazardous waste, the proper collection and management programme is of paramount importance to ensure the safety of users and ecosystem. The proper cleansing of pesticide packaging before collection reduces the management cost as well as minimise the risks of contamination to soil and water.
After two years of pilot implementation, the collection of pesticide packaging expanded to all municipalities of the Regional Unit of Larissa.
The importance of the programme is evident as the Ministry of Agricultural Development & Food, the Hellenic Plant Protection Association and the Hellenic Recycling Organisation are currently developing the system for the collection, sorting and recycling of the pesticides and other garden chemicals waste, in the context of the principle of extended producer responsibility.
As a recent development, the current National Waste Management Plan expands the mandatory separate collection of pesticide packaging nationwide