Indiana Farmstead Assessment for Drinking Water Protection

Pesticide Handling & Storage

Introduction Mixing and loading practices Figure 1 Table 1 Storage Table 2 Cleanup and container disposal

Other management practices Authors Contacts & References What to read about Sources


Pesticide Handling & Storage Survey

Introduction

When handling and storing pesticides on the farmstead, you should have a strategy to prevent contamination of water resources. Accidental pesticide spills around wells can, and do, lead to contamination of ground-water. This in turn can affect other wells in the neighborhood that draw from the same aquifer. Contaminated surface runoff is a threat to streams and lakes. A pesticide contamination incident can make the sale or transfer of land difficult. It is far better to prevent pesticide contamination from occur-ring by following the recommendations outlined in this fact sheet.

Managing your pesticides to reduce the risk of water contamination does not require major investments in time or money. The most critical area on the farmstead is the site where pesticides are loaded into application equipment and, specifically, the nearness of this site to the water source. Overfill of spray equipment, backflow into a well or water flowing over a pesticide contaminated soil can enter directly back into a well. The precautions you take to prevent these incidents from happening are the best actions to reduce risk of water contamination.

Mixing and loading practices

Water contamination can result even from small spills in the pesticide mixing and loading area. Small quantities spilled regularly in the same place can go unnoticed, but the chemicals can build up in the soil and eventually leach down through the soil to groundwater or be carried in surface runoff to streams through ditches and other drainages. By mixing and loading on a concrete pad with curbs you can contain and reuse most spilled pesticides. You can minimize contamination by following some basic guidelines listed in Table 1.

A mixing and loading pad

A mixing and loading pad allows for easy containment of leaks from bulk tanks, spills during sprayer filling and wash water from cleaning equipment. The pad should be made of concrete or some other impermeable(waterproof) surface and have a curb around the outside edge (Figure 1). Ideally, rinsate from the pad should be stored in separate tanks (e.g., corn pesticides in a tank labeled for corn, and soybean pesticides in a tank labeled for soybeans). The rinsate can be used as mixing water on subsequent loads that will go to a specific crop site

Keep the pad surface clean. Make sure that runoff water from the pad surface flows away from wells or surface waters. If pad runoff water could reach a nearby water source, construct a diversion so runoff is directed to another area.

The best source of information on mixing/loading pads is to consult with a local person who has already constructed a pad.You can learn what worked and what didn't. Asking the right person can save you time, money and effort. The end result is a well designed pad that meets your specific need.

Figure 1. Example of a drive-across mixing/loading pad in a pesticide handling facility.

Spill cleanup procedures

Contact the Office of Indiana State Chemist for suggestions and approval prior to making an application of pesticide recovered from a spill.

Dry spills are usually very easy to clean up. Promptly sweep up the pesticide and reuse as it was intended.

For liquid spills, recover as much of the spill as possible and reuse as it was intended. It may be necessary to remove and field apply the soil containing the spilled pesticide using a box or tank spreader. Be sure to apply the soil at the labeled rate for the pesticide it contains and on a labeled site.

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) requires that spills be reported. Call IDEM at 1-888-233-7745 to report a spill or to obtain a copy of the regulations. IDEM can interpret spill regulations, or provide information on spill cleanup procedures. If you have a copy of the material safety data sheet (MSDS)for the spilled product, you can also call the product manufacturer listed on the MSDS for information on cleanup procedures. Call the manufacturer in case of emergency. Copies of the MSDS are available from your chemical dealer.

Table 1. Better Management of Existing Mixing/Loading Sites
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Storage

If stored safely in a secure location, pesticides pose little danger to water quality. Common sense suggests keeping them dry and away from activities that might knock over a jug or tear a bag. Short term storage (during seasonal use) poses a lower risk than year-round storage; but any storage, regardless of length of time, poses some level of risk to ground water and nearby surface waters.

If a spill does occur, an impermeable(waterproof) floor, such as concrete, should virtually eliminate any seepage of chemicals into the ground. Putting a curb around the floor prevents chemicals from spreading to other areas and makes cleanup easier. Check the path of drainage from your storage area. Make sure that floor drains or surface runoff would not channel spilled pesticides to surface water if a spill would occur in the storage area.

Discuss with your local fire department how you want them to handle a fire in or very near your pesticide storage area. In some cases it maybe better to let a fire burn out because the insurance policy will pay to replace contents but will not cover off-site contamination caused by surface runoff carrying pesticides. Check your insurance policy. Also, label the pesticide storage area so that fire fighters will recognize the area and know to follow your instructions.

When building a new facility or modifying an existing building, keep in mind a few principles of safe pesticide storage:

Bulk pesticide storage

If you store bulk pesticide, a secondary containment structure is required to catch leaks and spills. Within the containment structure, leaked or spilled pesticide can be recovered and used in the appropriate manner as the label states. A secondary containment is an impermeable floor and walls around the storage area.

Bulk chemical storage is regulated (355 IAC5) by IDEM. See Table 2 for a list of major definitions and requirements. If you have questions about how to interpret the regulations, contact the Office of Indiana State Chemist.

Table 2. Bulk Pesticide Storage
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Cleanup and container disposal

Unwashed and improperly stored containers can lead to groundwater and surface water contamination by allowing chemical residues to leak. Some basic guidelines can help avoid problems:

Other management practices

Buy only what you need; this will reduce storage, avoid cold weather problems and reduce the severity of a fire.

Keep records of what you've used and what you have on hand. Record keeping for restricted use products is required by the Office of Indiana State Chemist.

Contact your chemical dealer or Cooperative Extension office about possible restrictions before using or disposing of canceled products or products in inventory that are no longer needed.

Authors

Fred Whitford
Sarah Brichford
Randy Carson
Cheri Janssen

Contacts and References

General Information

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  Purdue University Cooperative 
  Extension Service 
  888/EXT-INFO or your local office
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  Purdue Pesticide Programs
  1155 Lilly Hall 
  West Lafayette, IN 47907-1155
  765/494-4566
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  Office of Indiana State Chemist
  1154 Biochemistry Bldg. 
  West Lafayette, IN  47907-1154
  765/494-1492
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  Indiana Department of
  Environmental Management (IDEM) 
  1-800-451-6027
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Regulatory Information

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  Indiana Department of
  Environmental Management (IDEM)
  1-800-451-6027
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  Office of Indiana State Chemist
  1154 Biochemistry Bldg. 
  West Lafayette, IN  47907-1154
  765/494-1492
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Emergency Information

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  Chemical manufacturer (24 hour response)
  see phone number on MSDS for the pesticide
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  Indiana Poison Center
  800/382-9097 
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  Office of Indiana State Chemist 
  1154 Biochemistry Bldg. 
  West Lafayette, IN  47907-1154
  765/494-1492
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  Indiana Department of 
  Environmental Management (IDEM) 
  Emergency Response
  1-888-233-7745
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What to read about...

Pesticides and water quality

Pesticide handling and management

Sources:

1. Purdue University Cooperative 
   Extension offices or
   Media Distribution Center
   301 South 2nd Street 
   Lafayette, IN 47901-1232
   765/494-6794 or 1-888/EXT-INFO

2. Purdue Pesticide Programs
   1155 Lilly Hall
   West Lafayette, IN  47907
  765/494-1284

3. Indiana Farm Bureau, Inc. P.O. Box 1290
   Indianapolis, IN  46206
   317/692-7851

4. Center for Technology Transfer and
   Pollution Prevention
   1146 Agricultural and Biological Engineering Building 
   West Lafayette, IN  47907-1146
   765/494-117

Click below for survey 2

Pesticide Handling & Storage Survey


Reviewed 5/1/01

It is the policy of the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service, David C. Petritz, Director, that all persons shall have equal opportunity and access to its programs and facilities without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, or disability. Purdue University is an Affirmative Action employer. This material may be available in alternative formats. 1-888-EXT-INFO.