Owner`s manual

Pesticide Storage Concerns During a Flood
PREVENTION AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE
Safe pesticide storage is of
critical importance in both
everyday and disaster situations.
Not only can improperly stored
pesticides pose significant
hazards to humans, but they can
do great harm to the
environment, including surface
water and groundwater
contamination. Combined with
floodwaters, pesticides can
create a widespread health
problem by threatening drinking
supplies.
For all of these reasons, take
preventive measures to minimize
storage quantities and potential
exposure to floodwaters. Take
extra precautions if you live in a
floodplain or expect flooding. If
flooding of pesticides occurs, be
sure you follow safe, legal
methods for emergency
response, containment and
clean-up.
PREVENTION
♦ Choose a safe location. If at all possible, locate pesticides in an area
where flooding is not likely. A good location will be downwind and
downhill from sensitive areas, such as homes and play areas, ponds or
streams.
♦ Update your pesticide storage design. Contact your local Extension
agent or the Midwest Plan Service for modern pesticide storage plans.
Safety is a major criterion in new designs, as well as efficiency for
farmers. Features may include a mixing and loading pad, a drainage
system to collect contaminated runoff, a worker safety area and a
separate area for your personal protective clothing and equipment.
♦ Keep pesticide storage to a minimum. The fewer pesticides on site,
the less you have to worry about. Consider the following:
a) Contract to have pesticides applied. This eliminates storage and
most liability concerns.
b) Clean out existing inventories. If a pesticide is still registered for
use, give it to a producer who can legally use it. If it is no longer
registered, dispose of it at a county Agricultural Clean Sweep
program.
c) Purchase only enough pesticide for a single season.
♦ Take extra care with water-permeable containers. Dry formulations
packed in paper bags, fiber drums, cardboard boxes or similar
containers should be stored on metal shelves. Do not store liquid
pesticides on shelves above dry formulations.
♦ If flooding is imminent, move pesticides (especially those in unsealed
or water-permeable containers) to a higher storage location. Use
caution in moving containers — wear protective gear as necessary.
♦ Develop an emergency response plan in case of a leak, spill or fire.
Because of hazardous substances on you farm, you may be required
to develop a plan under the Superfund Amendments Reauthorization
Act (SARA) Title III. SARA requires farmers who have any of 360
extremely hazardous substances at 500 pounds or the threshold
planning quantity to alert the State Emergency Response Board
(SERB) with a Planning Notification Fee Statement. An off-site plan
identifying the substances and their location on the farm must be
developed with final plan copies sent to the local fire department,
your Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) and SERB.
Contact the Wisconsin Division of Emergency Government for more
information.
University of Wisconsin-Extension • Cooperative Extension FLOOD-FARM PREPARATION
more information