Pesticides Categorized as Universal Waste

Pesticides are broad groups of substances or mixtures of substances that are used for the following purposes:

• To prevent, destroy, repel, or lessen the population of any pest
• To regulate the growth of plants
• To defoliate or desiccate (dry out) the leaves of plants

The Universal Waste Rule applies only to pesticides that meet either of the following two conditions for being considered universal waste:

• Recalled pesticides subject to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, known as FIFRA. These include the following items:
  • Stocks of suspended or cancelled pesticides that are part of a voluntary or mandatory recall under FIFRA
  • Stocks of suspended or cancelled pesticides that are not compliant with FIFRA, and are part of a voluntary recall by the registrant of the pesticide
• Unused pesticide products that are collected and managed as part of a waste pesticide collection program (for example, for farmers)

To learn more about RCRA visit our RCRA Hazardous Waste Safety Online Training web page.