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The CropLife SA Product Responsibility Organisation (PRO) is offering producers in North West, Mpumalanga, and Limpopo the opportunity to dispose of old or obsolete pesticides on their farms free of charge.
Last year, more than 373 tonnes of obsolete pesticides were collected from farms, government institutions, and pest control operators, and destroyed through thermo-destruction at the expense of the CropLife SA PRO.
Producers with obsolete pesticides should contact CropLife SA PRO manager Dr Gerhard Verdoorn or PRO consultant Mark Campbell as soon as possible for guidance on compiling inventories and safeguarding the products before disposal. Contact details are provided below.
Please note the following important points:
- There are NO legal repercussions for disposing of obsolete pesticides through the CropLife SA PRO.
- There is no limit to the quantity of obsolete pesticides a producer may register for destruction.
- NO fees are charged for the thermo-destruction of obsolete pesticides. The CropLife SA PRO covers the cost of transporting the materials from designated temporary collection points to Olifantsfontein in Gauteng, as well as the thermo-destruction of every kilogram of obsolete pesticides.
- Note that fertilisers, whether liquid or granular, as well as animal feed, animal health products, and lubricants, are NOT accepted by the CropLife SA PRO for destruction.
- Obsolete pesticides must be placed on wooden pallets and securely wrapped with cling wrap. See the images for examples.
- Producers will be guided by the CropLife SA PRO on delivering their safeguarded obsolete pesticides to the designated temporary collection points. The CropLife SA PRO does not collect obsolete pesticides from farms.
This offer remains open until the end of July 2026. Thereafter, a similar collection-and-destruction initiative for obsolete pesticides in these provinces will be organised again only in 2028.
Producers are strongly encouraged to make use of this free service from the CropLife SA PRO. Those who do not take advantage of the opportunity may face significant personal costs for the removal and destruction of obsolete pesticides at a later stage.
Context
The CropLife SA PRO is registered by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment as a pesticide PRO, with the mandate and obligation to manage pesticide packaging and obsolete pesticides from its 98 subscribers at the end of their life cycle. This is done in accordance with the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, 2008 (Act 59 of 2008), the associated Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Regulations of 5 November 2020, and the EPR Scheme for the Pesticide Sector Notice of 23 March 2023.
The CropLife SA PRO has an extensive network of certified recyclers mandated to receive or collect clean, empty pesticide packaging that has been triple-rinsed or spray-rinsed: https://croplife.co.za/Home/CertifiedRecyclers.
The CropLife SA PRO also collects obsolete pesticides, including left-over, abandoned, unwanted, expired, banned, or prohibited pesticides, and ensures that these materials are destroyed by a licensed hazardous waste management service provider through thermo-destruction or incineration. – Media release, CropLife South Africa
For more information, contact CropLife SA PRO manager Dr Gerhard Verdoorn on 082Â 446 8946 or gerhard@croplife.co.za, or PRO consultant Mark Campbell at northernobspesticides@croplife.co.za.
