SENATE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 1576

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  FEBRUARY 10, 2025

      The Senate Environment and Energy Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 1576.

      This bill would direct the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), in consultation with the Department of Agriculture, to create a farm pesticide collection and disposal program to collect, transport, and dispose of pesticides and fertilizers containing pesticides, and collect, transport, and recycle pesticide containers held or owned by commercial farms.  Participation in the program by commercial farms would be voluntary. 

      In implementing the farm pesticide collection and disposal program, the DEP would be required to: (1) strategically place collection sites in diverse regions of the State; (2) offer at least two collection events per year in each collection site; (3) contract with, and provide oversight of, entities qualified to safely collect and dispose of pesticides and fertilizers containing pesticides and entities qualified to safely collect and recycle pesticide containers; and (4) appoint local agents or representatives to inventory collected pesticides, fertilizers containing pesticides, and pesticide containers disposed of and recycled by farms through the program, and to provide that information in a timely manner to the DEP.

      The Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the DEP, would also be required to establish a cooperative public education and awareness campaign to inform farmers about: (1) the location of collection sites and dates of upcoming collection events; (2) the types of pesticides, fertilizers containing pesticides, and pesticide containers accepted by the program; (3) the benefits of the farm pesticide collection and disposal program for farmers; and (4) the environmental benefits of properly disposing of pesticides, fertilizers containing pesticides, and recycling pesticide containers.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2024-2025 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.