1. Transport, Storage and Disposal of Pesticides and Farm Security
SAFE
Transport, Storage and Disposal of Pesticides and Farm Security
Rebecca Hines, MSU Pesticide Education
Lyndon Kelley, MSU Extension
Dr. Allen Krizek, MSU Extension

2. Why the concern? Prevent Compliance with the Law pesticide poisonings
environmental contamination
Compliance with the Law

3. Transporting Pesticides
Safest way – back of a truck or pickup.
Never in passenger compartment!
Nonporous truck beds.
Truck in good operating
condition.
Secure all containers to
prevent load shifts.

4. Loading Pesticides for Transport
Wear appropriate gloves.
Carry clean PPE in passenger compartment of vehicle.
Inspect containers before loading.
Handle containers carefully.
Secure all containers to prevent load shifts.
Keep spill kit in vehicle (shovel, absorbent material and containers).

5. Unloading Pesticides Never leave pesticides unattended!
You are legally responsible
if people are accidentally
poisoned from pesticides left
unattended in your vehicle.
Inspect vehicle to make sure
nothing leaked or spilled.

6. Pesticide Storage Location
150 ft. from wells (800 ft. for dairy farms or farms with hired employees).
200 ft. from surface water.
Consider wind direction and what is downwind from storage site.
Easily accessible for delivery, pickup and emergency vehicles.
Local zoning, building and fire codes.

7. Pesticide Storage Facility
Separate structure for fire concerns
Drainage into secondary containment Fire-resistant structure
Sealed floor
Non-absorbing shelving
Pesticide storage sign
WARNING
PESTICIDES
FIRE WILL CAUSE TOXIC FUMES
No Smoking

8. Pesticide Storage Facility Designing Facilities for Pesticide Storage
MWPS-37 Designing Facilities for Pesticide and Fertilizer Containment, available from MSU Ag Engineering Dept.
E-2335 On Farm Agrichemical Storage and Handling, available from local MSU Extension office.

9. Pesticide Storage Facility
Follow the pesticide label.
Cool, dry, well-ventilated area
Avoid temperature extremes.
Always store pesticides in original containers with label intact.

10. Pesticide Storage LOCK IT UP Limit access to keys.
Inspect storage routinely during off-season.
Check certification of users.
Clearly post storage areas.
Use secondary containment.
Have PPE, spill kit available.
Avoid stock-piling.
TAKE INVENTORY.

11. Pesticide Spills 5 “Cs” Caution – Beware of danger.
Control the spill to prevent further spillage.
Contain the spill.
Cleanup the spill.
Comply with reporting requirements.

12. Pesticide Spills Michigan Department of Agriculture’s
Agriculture Pollution Emergency Hotline
Practical assistance with the cleanup of pesticide, fertilizer and manure spills.

13. Disposal of Excess Pesticide
Small amounts – apply to label approved site being careful not to exceed maximum application rate.
Michigan Clean Sweep (contact your local MGSP technician).
Inventory your pesticides and purchase only what you need – then no need to worry about disposal of excess product.

14. Disposal of Pesticide Containers
Refillable
Return to supplier as soon as possible.
Non-refillable
Rinse immediately after use.
Pressure rinse or triple-rinse.
Add rinse solution to sprayer tank.
Utilize the pesticide container recycling program sponsored by the MGSP and MABA.

15. Farm Security Pesticide A 50 pound box of Accent®
herbicide is worth $26,000.

16. Record-keeping Inventory of products chemical/trade name product type
EPA number
amount on site
Inventory of equipment
brand/description
serial numbers
Good record-keeping is essential to dealing with a problem. If there is a break-in, an inventory is essential to know what might have been taken. Also, inventory is useful in case of a fire, flood, or other accident, so authorities can respond appropriately. You should also have records of the equipment on your farm or in the business, and of who has keys to buildings or machinery. Keep copies of these records in several locations.
One way to make records available during an emergency is to have an ‘emergency tube’ on your farm site or at the agribusiness. Inventory records and locations of sensitive areas on your site (for example, wells, animal barns, equipment storage) can be placed in this water resistant tube, which is then hung on a pole or stake on the farmstead. Employees, neighbors, police, and fire should know the location of the tube on your site, so that the info can be accessed during an emergency.
Michigan Emergency tubes are available from groundwater technicians based around the state, or by calling the State Groundwater Office at

17. Know your... employees & suppliers customers emergency responders
neighbors
Know your…
Customers - Make sure customers have the proper credentials to purchase ag chemicals. Engage customers in conversation…if something doesn’t seem right, keep asking questions. If something really is suspicious, then call law enforcement. Even if you have a customer you have known for several years, checking pesticide certification license and other credentials is still important.
Employees and suppliers - More and more businesses are conducting background checks before hiring laborers. Check references. As far as suppliers, know who is making deliveries to your farm, dropping off supplies, or treating your fields. What is their normal routine? What should you expect? If something doesn’t seem right or you see suspicious activity, then ask questions, call the supplier directly, or call law enforcement.
Neighbors - your neighbors are an extra set of eyes and ears to watch your farmstead. This is not only true of “farm” neighbors, but also other nearby homes of people not engaged in ag. In fact, this is a good time to introduce yourself to new neighbors who have moved into your area. Explain your operation to them - your hours, your equipment, your chemicals. These folks will know what to expect, and when something doesn’t seem right, they will be more likely to contact you, or call the police. Also, knowing your neighbors can have the added benefit of reducing complaints from ag operations.

18. Reporting
trespassers
thefts
unusual activity
suspicious people

19. Planning Keep a list of emergency numbers.
Have a written emergency plan.
Share the plan with employees.
Planning:
Security breaches and accidents can have less impact if you already have a plan to deal with the situation.
Keep a list of emergency phone numbers near all phones. Have a written emergency plan ready to go before a problem occurs. What parts of your operation are most vulnerable? What should you do in case of an emergency? Who should you call? What procedures do employees need to take, and in what order? Having a written plan is of no use unless it is shared with employees and reviewed periodically.
MSUE Emergency Preparedness Web Site

20. Developing a Farm Security Plan
(based on Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Point (HACCP))
1) Identify hazards and determine risks.
2) Institute measures to reduce these hazards.
3) Determine critical points in your operation.
4) Develop monitoring procedures at each point.
5) Develop ways to correct problems or failures if
critical points are compromised.
6) Test your program periodically.
Food processors use a technique called “HACCP” - Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point - to analyze their operations and keep the food supply safe. The same principles can apply to a farmstead to develop an emerg. plan.
First, ID hazards/ risks at the farm stead. For example, a risk could be the use of fumigants and OP insecticides that may spill and harm people, animals, and the environment, and that can be stolen and misused by others in criminal activity.
Second, reduce these hazards. For example, upgrade the pesticide storage, buy new locks, get new lights, and store a minimum amount of pesticide during the winter.
Next, identify critical points in the farm operation, and develop ways to monitor procedures at these critical points. For example, a critical point in the operation could be the pesticide mixing, loading and application by workers. Limited people could have a key to the pesticide storage area. One person could be appointed to lock up the pesticide facility at the end of the day, and to check the facility periodically during the off season.
Develop ways to correct problems/ failures at the critical points. For instance, employees should know what to do in case of a spill, Where to bring someone exposed to pesticide, or who to call if the pesticide storage is broken in to. Finally, go over these procedures periodically with employees

21. For more information contact:
Your local MSU Extension office, MSUE Bulletin E-2784, SAFE Transport, Storage and Disposal of Pesticides
MSU Pesticide Safety and Education Program
Your local Michigan Groundwater Stewardship Program technician