How many times should you wash a non-pressurized container?

• A. 1 Time
• B. 3 Times
• C. 2 Times
• D. 5 Times

Answer: (B)

The question is about safe and proper pesticide container decontamination, specifically what you do with non-pressurized containers. The best practice is a triple rinse—three rinses. This standard helps ensure most, if not all, pesticide residue is removed from the container so it can be disposed of or recycled with minimal environmental risk and reduced worker exposure.

Here's how it works in practice: after the container is emptied, add a portion of clean water, seal the container, shake it thoroughly, and pour that rinse water back into the spray tank. Repeat this two more times. The rinse water from each cycle goes into the spray tank so it’s not wasted, and the final rinse water is treated as part of the spray mix. Following three rinses aligns with typical label directions and EPA guidelines for non-pressurized containers.

Choosing fewer rinses leaves more residue behind, while performing five rinses is not necessary for most products and wastes time and resources. For non-pressurized containers, triple rinsing is the standard approach; different rules may apply for pressurized containers.