TEX*A*Syst Slide Training Series: Pesticide and Fertilizer Storage
Activities and the structures on a farmstead or at rural homes can all risks ground water contamination. These may include wells, petroleum tanks, septic systems, livestock wastes and especially fertilizer and pesticide storage.
Agrichemicals have increased farm production while saving the time and labor required to control pests. Responsible pesticide and fertilizer use and management will help ensure their future availability.
Although on-farm pesticide and fertilizer storage is not generally regulated, good practice suggests following the legal requirements that apply to commercial dealers and bulk material applicators.
Growers should be concerned about safe agrichemical storage and handling for a number of reasons, including the health dangers to both people and animals, the liability and cleanup costs, as well as the potential fire risks.
Liability and cleanup costs usually accompany chemical accidents. Even small amounts of agrichemicals can contaminate large volumes of soil and water, making cleanup expensive.
In storing agrichemicals, farmers should organize them according to group and type. Pesticides should be sorted by group with fungicides, herbicides, or insecticides and by type into dry and liquid.
All pesticide and fertilizer storage facilities should have signs that clearly identify the chemicals stored there. It’s also a good idea to post “no smoking” signs.
Growers will reduce risks to ground water by using a mixing and loading pad. The pad contains the inevitable spills and drips that occur during agrichemical transfers to the sprayer or spreader.
Storage and handling facilities should be secure and include a pad for agrichemical mixing and loading. Floors should be made of an impermeable material (usually concrete) with curbs and a sump to deal with accidental spills and leaks.
A constant risk when filling a pesticide sprayer, backflow is caused by a loss of pressure, which reverses the normal flow from the hose and draws chemicals into the water supply.
Empty liquid pesticide or fertilizer containers should be pressure rinsed or triple rinsed, then punctured and disposed of at a licensed landfill or recycled. Many dealers now accept plastic containers for recycling. Rinsate should be applied to the appropriate crop.
A small spill can be soaked up with pet litter or other absorbent materials, and then disposed of properly.
Credits
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