1. Dealing with Spills
Do you know what to do if you spill a hazardous product?
Introduce your self
Provide:
Name
Title and where you work
Brief description of the MGSP
Cooperative effort of MSUE, MDA, NRCS, Americorps
Funded by user fee on pesticides and N fertilizers
Money provides technical assistance, education, and cost share.
Safe Pesticide Storage
How and where to keep hazardous materials in the house to prevent accidental exposure to people and to water.

2. Problems If spills are not cleaned up they can contaminate Water Soil
Contamination can include:
Fertilizer
Pesticides
Bacteria
Sediment
Oil or gasoline
Contaminants bypass the natural filtering process and directly enter groundwater. Chemicals do not break down as quickly in the groundwater as on the soil surface because there are fewer bacteria and cooler temperatures.
Contaminants can also bypass confining layers through abandoned wells
Abandoned wells may allow groundwater to travel from a contaminated aquifer to an uncontaminated aquifer.
People and animals may be hurt or killed or equipment damaged if they fall down an old well.

3. The 4 C’s of spills Caution Control Contain Clean-up
Use the 4 C’s to help you remember what to do in case of an accidental spill

4. Caution Assess the danger Safety equipment
Call emergency if beyond your ability to control
The first thing you should do is use caution. You don’t want to accidentally expose yourself to any hazardous materials.
Assess the danger – How dangerous is the product, where is it, where might the product go?
Always use safety equipment like chemically resistant gloves and long sleeve shirts and long pants. Other useful safety equipment includes goggles or masks for vapors or fine powders.
If it is beyond your ability to control contact emergency services. For example if the lawn service truck flips in front of your house. (More likely in agriculture or in business related spills)

5. Control and Contain Stop spill or leak
Prevent contaminant from entering soil or water
Control (keep it from getting worse)
Stop the spill (Upright tipped containers, place broken containers inside of buckets)
Contain (Limit the spills ability to spread)
Prevent loose product from entering soil or water (chemicals can leach into groundwater or enter surface water through storm drains)
Pet litter, peat moss, soil, sawdust, newspaper, etc, can be used as absorbents to contain a spill

6. Clean Up Spills Capture wet spill with absorbent
Sweep up captured product
Use as directed or properly dispose of contaminated material
Clean Up
Dry spills can be swept up and can be used as directed
Wet spills first need to be absorbed. The product can then be swept or shoveled up.
Dispose through application at labeled rates or bag and dispose of at hazardous waste collection or regular trash.

7. Prevention
Never leave sprayers or spreaders unattended when they contain a product
Maintain equipment
Ready to use products – No mixing
Professional applicators
Store products in a secure location
Get rid of unused or unusable products
Never leave sprayers or spreaders unattended when they contain a product – prevents tampering or accidents by children or pets.
Maintain equipment – keeps leaks from accidental failure.
Ready to use products – No mixing of chemicals, one less opportunity for a spill to occur.
Professional applicators – Let someone else worry about it, professional applicators go through pesticide safety exam.
Store products in a secure location – see storage brochure
Get rid of unused or unusable products – see Clean Sweep brochure

8. Litter
Here are the contents of a pesticide spill and storage kit. A complete kit may be assembled for as little as$15. Professional kits for farmers or businesses may cost over $100.
Lockable storage container - $4-$25 – The container acts as secondary containment and is lockable to prevent access.
Pet lietter - $1-$4 – The litter readily absorbs spilled liquids. Contaminated litter can be bagged and disposed of in your regular trash.
Chemically resistant gloves - $3-$10 – A must for whenever you are handling hazardous chemicals. Best kinds are nitrile or neoprene and include wrist guards.
Safety goggles - $3-$10 – Eyes are extremely sensitive to harsh chemicals. Goggles can prevent exposure due to splashes.
Broom and Dustpan - $2-$4 – To sweep up spilled material
Garbage bags - to easily dispose of spilled material.
Locks - $3-$15 – To lock the container

9. For more information
Michigan State University Pesticide Education –