Which statement about triple-rinsing and pressure-rinsing pesticide containers is true?

• A. They are both considered hazardous waste.
• B. They are both considered non-hazardous waste.
• C. Only triple-rinsed containers are non-hazardous waste.
• D. Rinsed containers require special disposal.

Answer: (B)

Rinsing pesticide containers properly reduces the residues inside enough that the container itself can be treated as nonhazardous waste. Both triple-rinsing and pressure-rinsing accomplish this by removing most of the remaining product from the container walls. When the container is thoroughly rinsed according to label directions, it typically can be recycled or disposed of as nonhazardous waste, rather than needing special hazardous-waste disposal for the container itself. The rinse water, or rinsate, is the part that often remains hazardous and must be managed separately, which is why the focus about disposal of the container is that it becomes nonhazardous after proper rinsing. This makes the statement that both rinsing methods lead to nonhazardous waste for the containers the best choice, rather than asserting only one method qualifies or that rinsed containers always require special disposal.