Farmers dispose of agricultural pesticides, tires in Marks event
Quitman County producers dropped off unwanted agricultural pesticides and recyclable farm tires at a disposal event held November 29 in Marks, reducing local contamination risks and removing hazardous stockpiles from farm storage. A follow up collection is scheduled in Rolling Fork on December 8 for producers who missed the Marks date.
Farmers and landowners in Quitman County and surrounding Mississippi areas used a one day pesticide disposal event on November 29 to rid farms of unwanted or expired agricultural pesticides and to recycle scrap tires. The event was staged in the parking lot of the former Freds building at 1098 Martin Luther King Jr Drive in Marks, where a contractor accepted agricultural waste products and farm tires for recycling.
Organizers permitted participants to drop off up to ten automobile and light truck sized tires and up to two tractor sized tires for recycling. Tire drop off was coordinated through the Quitman County Road Department at 100 Airport Road in Marks and was available between 7:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The Marks event was highlighted specifically for Quitman County producers, while a second disposal opportunity is scheduled for Thursday December 8 in Rolling Fork in the parking lot of the former Delta Elastics factory.
Removing obsolete pesticides from farms carries immediate local benefits. Household and farm scale pesticide stockpiles pose risks of accidental exposure during handling and storage, and they can contaminate wells and surface water if containers degrade or leak. Recycling tires reduces fire and mosquito breeding risks and diverts bulky waste from county landfills, easing municipal disposal burdens.
For local agricultural operations, proper disposal also reduces potential regulatory and liability exposures tied to mismanaged hazardous waste. Events such as the November 29 collection offer a lower cost and logistically simpler option for small producers who otherwise face higher expenses to arrange certified hazardous waste transport and disposal.
The November 29 Marks event removed hazardous materials from local supply chains and provided a practical compliance path for farmers. Producers who could not attend are able to use the December 8 Rolling Fork event to achieve the same environmental and safety gains. Continued participation in these collections can lower long term community cleanup costs, protect local water resources, and improve farm safety across Quitman County.
