The Rinse and Return Program is coordinated with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture with local Cooperative Extension Service Offices throughout Kentucky.  It is a recycling program that allows for the reuse of plastic containers that previously held pesticides and these containers cannot be recycled with other ordinary household plastics.  According to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, “this reduces the amount of material entering the landfill or being disposed of by other means. Some of the end products include drainage pipe, highway sign posts, underground utility conduit, and wire/cable spool flanges.”  Since the beginning of this program, close to 2 million pounds of plastic have been recycled.

               In Spencer County, the agriculture and natural resources agent coordinated with KDA to set up a time so that producers could bring triple-rinsed 2.5 gallon jugs to the Extension Office so that a KDA representative could pick them up. It was advertised in the monthly newsletter and on Facebook.   During the 2024 pickup, 10 participants recycled 101 jugs along with 3 barrels.  This is an increase of 5 jugs from the previous year.  This program continues to be a great collaboration with the KDA and Cooperative Extension to help reduce the amount of waste going into our landfills.