Generally, imported pesticides are biologically active materials and may be potentially hazardous or risky to both human health and the environment. They normally affect the Central Nervous System [CNS] including humans. While botanical ones particularly the Patented & International Award-Winner Insect Growth Regulators [IGR] products of MAPECON Philippines, Inc. are not as risky. They only affect the growth hormone, called the Ecdyzones, of insect-pests and kill them slowly.
Only properly trained and Certified Pesticide Applicators [CPA] are allowed to handle, apply and store pesticides or IGRs in establishments.
Complete decontamination and effective disposal are often very difficult to achieve. One of the most important objectives of good storage management is to minimize the occurrence of leaks, spills and outdated stock.
1). Spills:
There will occasionally be spills, even in the best run storage, especially where concentrates are repacked and transferred into other containers. Spills must be cleaned up immediately. Always have two people working when handling severe spills.
Untreated spills may corrode other containers, become trodden in and contaminate storage personnel and may produce toxic or inflammable fumes. If not removed quickly, the spilled chemicals may be absorbed by the floor. Floors therefore need to be made of impermeable (sealed) concrete or other non-absorbent material. Removing the contaminated part and replacing it, may be the only way to decontaminate absorbent brick, earth or wooden floors.
Spill soaked up by sand or sawdust being carefully swept up
and placed in a container to be collected and taken for central disposal.
1.a. Liquid Spills:
The spill should not be hosed down as this merely disperses the pesticide over a wider area.
A supply of absorbent sawdust, sand or dry soil should be kept in a container in the store.
Nitrile rubber protective gloves and face-mask should be worn.
Sawdust, sand or dry soil should be scattered over the area of the spill and left for a few minutes to soak up the chemical.
The sawdust, sand or dry soil containing absorbed spilled chemical should be swept or shovelled up and placed in a marked container for disposal.
After sweeping, more than once if necessary, a scrubbing brush at the end of a stick should be used to scrub down the area of the spill with water and strong soap or detergent. Excess soapy water should be removed with a rough floor cloth and not hosed down.
1.b. Solid Spills:
Dusts, Wettable Powders or Granules can create dust when swept up without the use of an absorbent material. A supply of absorbent sawdust, sand or dry soil should be kept in a container in the store where they can easily be reached for use in an emergency .
Nitrile rubber protective gloves and face-mask should be worn.
The sawdust, sand or dry soil should be dampened and applied with a shovel over the area of the spill.
The damp sawdust, sand or soil containing spillage material should be swept or shovelled up carefully and placed in a marked container for disposal.
After sweeping, more than once if necessary, a scrubbing brush at the end of a stick should be used to scrub down the area of the spill with water and strong soap or detergent. Excess soapy water should be removed with a rough floor cloth and not hosed down.
2). Leaks:
Leakage from containers is a major problem in the storage and transport of pesticides. The main cause is rough handling which dents drums, weakens or splits seams and weakens closures (lids, caps and stoppers). Other causes of mechanical damage are puncturing or abrasion during transport when packages and containers rub against one another or against the sides of the truck travelling over uneven surfaces and rough roads.
CPA inspecting a leak from a pesticide container.
Leaks also result from corrosion of the container, which may be accelerated by mechanical damage. Corrosion may start internally, the pesticide itself or its breakdown products being the primary cause. Alternatively, corrosion may begin externally, as a result of rusting in damp storage conditions or contamination from pesticide leaking from nearby containers.
Emulsifiable Concentrate (EC) formulations may be corrosive and incompatible to steel. They should be packed in plastic, aluminium containers, or in steel containers lined with inner coatings. Some pesticides are dissolved in organic solvents that cannot always be packed in plastic drums.
Containers may leak for other reasons such as: strong sunlight which can degrade some plastic containers, including bottles and plastic sacks. Rodents may damage paper, board or fiber containers. Termites may attack paper and card.
Storage should be inspected regularly, at least every two months. Old, rotting and leaking containers are extremely difficult to move safely, so any leaking containers should be dealt with immediately.
The only way to deal with a leak is to repack the material in a sound container. New containers are preferable, if available, but old containers of various types and sizes may be used for this purpose [old containers are also useful for temporarily storing the products of spills]. They must have been thoroughly decontaminated and their old labels completely removed.
Pesticides should be repacked in containers made of the same materials as the original containers as some chemicals are not compatible with different materials. Ideally a drum that contained the same product should be used. If unavailable, the container must have been properly cleaned of previous contents to avoid cross-contamination. New labels must be written out immediately with all the information on the old label and fastened securely to the new container. Write the date of repacking (and the date of the original receipt) on the replacement container and ensure that the repacked material is used first.
3). Disposal Of Pesticide Containers:
Many accidents have been caused by empty pesticide containers being used to store water and food.
An empty pesticide container may never be cleaned completely of pesticide residue and should be disposed of in a way that ensures it cannot be used for other purposes. It is, however, wise to retain samples of various types of container, which have been carefully cleaned, in the pesticide store for use in repacking the contents of damaged containers and storing cleaned up leaks and spills prior to final disposal.
Empty containers awaiting disposal should be stored in a special, secure area in the pesticide store to ensure that they are not stolen and used for other purposes.
Decontamination of a pesticide container: Inside and outside are being cleaned with detergent and water. Rinsings should be done.
Empty containers should always be cleaned out, as far as is practicable, before disposal to minimize both hazard and waste of residual pesticide. Containers that have contained EC or Wettable Powder (WP) formulations should be rinsed with water several times and the rinsings added to the spray tank before it is topped up to the required volume.
Following this, containers may be washed out using clean water, detergent and caustic soda. Containers of liquid formulations may be cleaned with kerosene or diesel fuel. The washings are collected for disposal in a safe and environmentally sound manner.
As long as they are not heavily contamined paper, cardboard and fiberboard containers should be burnt on a fire in the open.
Disposal of lightly contaminated cardboard pesticide container on a fire, ensuring that fumes travel away from the CPA.
However, cartons that have contained herbicides should not be burnt. The combustion can damage crops at long distances. Highly contaminated cardboard, paper and jute materials should be collected and sent to the designated central disposal center along with other toxic waste.
Containers rendered unusable, the products of decontamination procedures, leaks and spills, and container rinsings should all be collected for sending later to a central location for disposal.
Metal containers are crashed so that it cannot be reused. And they will be collected for central disposal.
Glass containers should be smashed and steel drums and metal and plastic containers punctured and crushed [do not puncture aerosol containers] before they are sent to the central location for disposal.
4). Disposal Of Unwanted Pesticides:
Using pesticides for their intended purposes according to label instructions is the most satisfactory means of disposing of them.
For this reason, no more than one year's requirement of pesticides should be purchased and stored, so that none will remain at the end of the product's shelf-life of two years.
Only as much pesticide as can be used in a day's operations should be withdrawn from the storage and only as much as will go into the sprayer tank should be mixed.
Occasions will arise when it will be necessary to dispose of pesticide concentrates, either because the stock is outdated and has been found to be unusable or because the product is no longer registered for the original purpose. Where very large quantities are to be disposed of, professional advice must be sought from the chemical suppliers.
If only a few kilograms or liters of pesticide are involved, they should be collected for sending later to the central location for disposal. Larger quantities of pesticides are best disposed of by burning in a special incinerator at 1 200°C. This does not mean that it would be safe to burn them at a lower temperature on a fire. Incineration requires special equipment with provision for "scrubbing" the combustion products, but this is beyond the capacity of the CPA.
Other means of disposal are: To return the pesticide to the supplier and To pass it on to a specialist disposal agent. Returning the pesticide to the supplier is the safest means of disposal. Disposal involves chemical methods such as alkaline and acid hydrolysis. Oxidation, reduction and spraying on to the ground or allowing to escape into the atmosphere may also be employed, but require special skills. The end product in most cases is still toxic.
5). Decontamination:
5.a. The CPA Personnel:
Pesticides coming into contact with the skin can rapidly enter the body. Hence, successful decontamination of body surfaces requires: prompt action and rapid application of plenty of soap and water; extremely thorough washing.
CPA Personnel decontaminates himself by washing thoroughly with soap and water;
his protective clothing, washed separately, is hanging out to dry in full sunshine.
And anyone contaminated with pesticide should strip off their clothing and quickly and thoroughly scrub the affected part of their body with soap and water. This should be followed by careful rinsing and towelling dry .
5.b. Protective Clothing:
Contaminated protective clothing should be thoroughly washed using industrial grade detergent followed by several rinsings. Protective clothing should not be washed with the family wash. Gloves should be worn when washing protective clothing. Hot water should be used when available. Washed clothes should be hung to dry in full sunshine.
Where there is a large patch of fabric that has been contaminated by toxic concentrates and replacement clothing is available, it is best to destroy the affected clothing by burning.
5.c. Stores And Vehicles:
When dealing with leaks and spills, water, soap or detergent are usually the most readily available materials for decontamination. However, other chemicals sold for domestic or common commercial purposes may be useful too.
Organophosphorus compounds may be treated by Sodium Hypochlorite [bleach] and Sodium Carbonate [washing soda], which are useful for decontamination and can be applied following initial scrubbing with soap and water.
Organochlorine compounds are persistent chemicals. Household ammonia and Washing soda may be used. The main method is to scrub with water and detergent.
Carbamates should be scrubbed with Washing soda or Strong soap.
Transport vehicles should be decontaminated thoroughly as soon as spills or leaks are seen, otherwise there is a danger that when used subsequently for other goods, including foodstuffs, the goods could become contaminated.
Spills are cleaned up in the same way that they are in stores. The contaminated washings from the vehicle should be absorbed by sawdust, sand or dry soil and placed in a container for collection and central disposal by the national authority.
6). Major Emergencies:
Major emergencies are a far greater risk for pesticide storage than they are elsewhere.
6.a. Fire:
The primary objective in the design and management of pesticide stores is to reduce the risk of fire. Prevention is better than cure!
Pesticides, especially those formulated as liquids, present major fire hazards because the solvents used in formulations [oils and petroleum distillates] have low flashpoints and may be readily vaporized at normal temperatures. In poorly ventilated storage, heavy vapors may accumulate near the floor if drums are left open or if leaks and spills are not cleared up.
An electrical spark, naked flame or even the sun's rays concentrated by a glass container may cause an explosion followed by the spread of fire.
Some Wettable Powders are suspected of starting fires through spontaneous combustion, while Sodium Chlorate [used as a herbicide, defoliant, desiccant and soil sterilant] is a powerful oxidizing agent that easily catches fire and should only be supplied with a fire suppressant in the formulation [once sodium chlorate containers have been opened their entire contents should be used immediately].
The outside of pesticide storage should bear prominently displayed warning notices stating: "Danger Pesticides: Authorized Persons Only," and "No Smoking: No Naked Flame." These rules should be strictly followed.
Extinguishing a small fire in a pesticide storage using shovefuls of sand or earth from a container.
Fire extinguishers [powder or carbon dioxide, not water] should be available in the store and should be regularly checked. Static or running water [required, together with soap, for decontamination purposes] should also be available and buckets of sand or earth (also required for absorbing any liquid pesticide spills or leaks) are useful for putting out small fires.
The local fire brigade should be informed of the store's existence and the hazards involved. It is very useful to place a notice on the outside of the store giving names and addresses of those responsible for the store (including key holders) who can be contacted in an emergency.
In the event of a fire, it is essential to try to contain the pesticides that leak from burning and exploding containers in the storage. Hence, the need for bunding of some kind to be provided when the storage is built; bunds also prevent the water used to fight the fire, which inevitably becomes contaminated with pesticides, from contaminating the neighborhood and the environment.
Contamination of the environment from combustion such as smoke and fumes cannot be prevented. A light roof designed to collapse easily in a fire will at least permit the fumes to be carried upwards away from the fire-fighters.
Pesticide store in flames; the light roof collapses, thus, preventing an explosion.
Fires in pesticide stores that contain organophosphorus compounds and carbamates can be extremely dangerous to fire-fighters, who should never go downwind of the fire and should always wear breathing apparatus.
Solid water streams from fire-fighting hoses should be avoided since they can disperse the pesticide, especially the powder formulations, over a wide area. Care should also be taken to avoid dragging fire hoses through contaminated water.
Protective clothing and equipment used by fire-fighters should be thoroughly decontaminated after the fire.
6.b. Flooding:
Flooding during seasonal rains is a common event in the Philippines. Flooded pesticide storage is subject to special hazards.
Cardboard or paper containers in which many pesticides are packed lose strength and may leak or burst open when wet. Other containers, especially partially empty drums of liquid, may be swept away with a flood. Environmental contamination over a wide area may result from either of these events; water supplies may become polluted and pesticide containers may present a hazard to people who find them.
6.c. Destruction:
Dangers from fire, flooding and destruction during civil disturbances emphasize the value of keeping records of stocks in a place where they will be safe in an emergency. Records of the quantities and types of pesticide involved prove invaluable in subsequent efforts to clean up, trace missing containers and assess the environmental risk and financial loss caused by the emergency.
7. Personal Safety & Protective Clothing:
When working with pesticides, do not eat, drink or smoke. Wash hands and face thoroughly with soap and water before smoking or eating. Also wash your hands before using the toilet.
Some form of protective clothing is required when handling and transferring pesticides in stores.
In warm, humid tropical climates, wearing additional protective clothing may be uncomfortable. Ideally, therefore, only pesticide types and formulations which do not require additional protective clothing should be stored. This is unlikely to be possible in most cases however.
7.a. General Body Protection:
he garments worn should have long sleeves and covering for the lower body and legs. Footwear (boots or shoes) and some kind of head covering should also be worn. Many kinds of normal clothing in tropical and subtropical countries provide good general body protection in any case, but work clothing should be in a good state of repair and should not have tears or worn areas through which pesticides can enter and contaminate the skin. Work clothing, including footwear, must be washed in water with soap or other detergent after each day ís used, separately from other clothing.
7.b. Hand Protection:
CPA wearing mask, eye protection, gloves and apron over shirt and trousers
to protect himself from splashes while transferring pesticide concentrate.
When pouring and otherwise transferring pesticides from one container to another, chemical-resistant gloves should be worn. They must fit the hands comfortably and be flexible enough to grip pesticide containers firmly. They must be long enough at least to cover the wrists.
Gloves made of nitrile rubber or neoprene offer good protection against a wide range of pesticide products, especially those dissolved or suspended in water, granules or dusts. Gloves made of natural rubber do not provide sufficient protection against products such as Emulsifiable Concentrates or Ultra-Low-Volume pesticides.
The outside of gloves should be rinsed with water before removal and the gloves should be washed inside and out and allowed to dry after each day ís used. They should be examined for signs of wear and tear, particularly between the fingers.
7.c. Footwear:
Calf-length rubber boots give protection against a wide range of dilute pesticide products. Leather footwear is unsuitable because it absorbs some pesticide products and cannot be decontaminated. Trousers should be worn outside the boots so that spills and splashes do not fall into them.
7.d. Eye Protection:
Goggles or face shields are used to protect the eyes from splashes and when transferring dusts. Face shields are cooler to wear in hot, humid climates and do not mist over as easily as goggles. Although they provide less satisfactory eye protection, the use of safety spectacles is preferable to no protection.
Wash after use to remove any contamination. An eyewash set should also be available.
7.e. Protection Against Inhalation:
There should be a sufficient stock of lightweight disposable masks that cover the mouth and nose when handling dusts. The masks must be discarded after use. Vapor masks or half-face respirators with organic vapor cartridges should also be available.
7.f. Apron Covering:
Aprons are useful additional protective items: For loading operations; For handling concentrated formulations; and For cleaning out containers before disposal.
Aprons made of PVC, nitrile rubber or neoprene, or disposable ones made of polyethylene materials, provide adequate additional protection for operations of this kind.
The apron should cover the front of the body up to the neck and down to the knees. As with other protective equipment, aprons must be washed after use and inspected regularly for signs of damage.
8. Essential Equipment Within The Pesticide Storage:
8.a. Thick polyethylene sheeting on floor (if surface is not concrete or otherwise impermeable)
8.b. Floor dunnage (bricks, timber)
8.c. Wooden pallets
8.d. Ramps at entrance to contain leakage
8.e. Entrance door with lock to prevent unauthorized entry
8.f. Bars across windows and ventilators to prevent unauthorized entry
8.g. Container of absorbent sand, sawdust or dry soil
Shovel
8.h. Long-handled brush with stiff bristles
8.i. Short-handled brush and pan
8.j. Water supply, or container of water, with soap
8.k. Detergent solution
8.l. Drum spanners
8.m. Metal funnels
8.n. Fire-fighting equipment: Fire Extinguisher; and Fireproof Blanket
8.o. Protective clothing: helmet or cloth cap, safety spectacles, goggles or face shield (attached to helmet), dust or light fume masks, emergency vapor masks or half-face respirators with organic vapor cartridges, nitrile rubber or neoprene gloves or gauntlets overalls, nitrile rubber or neoprene aprons, and strong rubber or neoprene boots
8.p. Empty pesticide containers (preferably salvage drums that can contain a whole 200-litre drum)
8.q. Empty bags to repack heavily damaged or leaking containers
8.r. Self-adhesive warning labels for marking drums
8.s. Emergency first aid equipment: First-aid Box, stretcher and blanket, and eyewash set
8.t. Stock record sheets
8.u. Routine pesticide store management procedures
8.v. The storekeeper should put on essential protective clothing (overalls and boots) upon arrival at the pesticide store.
8.w. There should be a quick daily inspection of drums and containers to ensure that there have been no overnight spills or leaks.
8.x. Spilled and leaked pesticide must be cleaned up immediately, using the methods described in section "Spills, leaks and disposal of containers and chemicals".
8.y. Drums and containers should be thoroughly inspected monthly for leaking seals, split seams and corrosion.
8.z. Leaking or old drums should be removed and their contents transferred to empty containers. Appropriate protective clothing should be worn and precautions taken as described in section "Personal safety and protective clothing". Replacement containers should be sealed and relabeled.
8.aa. Transfer of chemicals to new containers should be recorded on the stock record sheet.
8.bb. Dates on labels of containers in the store should be checked monthly and outdated stock separated for disposal. Any labels in poor condition should be replaced.
8.cc. Arrival of a consignment of pesticides at the store: The back of the transport vehicle should be checked for spills, and the containers for leaks or broken seals; the vehicle should be decontaminated of any spills. Chemicals from containers with leaks or split seams should be transferred to empty containers in good condition and relabeled.
8.dd. Pesticide containers should be carefully unloaded from the delivery vehicle. The delivery note should be examined and check-list of chemicals arriving at the store should be prepared on a stock record sheet.
8.ee. Containers of chemicals placed in the store should be set on floor dunnage and stacked using wooden pallets as necessary.
8.ff. The location of chemical containers in the store should be recorded on the stock record list.
8.gg. Taking pesticides from the store for pest control purposes
8.hh. The condition of the transport vehicle should be checked before placing containers of pesticides in it. It should also be ensured that no foodstuffs are to be carried on the same vehicle.
8.ii. The removal of pesticides from the store should be recorded on the stock record sheet.
8.jj. The stock first deposited in the store should be the first to be taken out.
8.kk. Pesticide containers should be carefully loaded on to the despatch vehicle and the driver provided with a delivery note.
8.ll. Ten rules for proper pesticide storage and stock management
8.mm. Pesticide storage should not be located in or near densely populated urban areas or near water bodies.
8,nn. The storage capacity (total storage surface) should be sufficient to store the total stock of pesticides at any time.
8.oo. Each store should have at least the following: Sufficient ventilation openings to avoid unnecessarily high temperatures; Floors made of, or covered by, impermeable concrete or cement (as a temporary measure, Floors may be covered by a large and thick polyethylene sheet); Ramps at entrances to contain any major leakage within the store; Doors that are lockable and bars across ventilation holes and windows to prevent unauthorized entry.
8.pp. The floor of the store should have a layout of separate blocks with aisles between them. Ideally the outline of the blocks should be painted on the floor. Each block should contain only one product. There should be sufficient space between blocks to move containers freely, enable the inspection of containers and treat leakages. Drums should be stacked in such a way that each can be inspected from the aisles between the blocks. Drums and bags should be stored on pallets. The number of containers stacked on top of each other should not exceed the stacking recommendations for the type of container concerned. Overstacking may lead to rupture of containers lower down and reduces access to containers.
8.qq. Pesticide stores should only contain pesticides. All other goods or objects should be removed.
8.rr. Obsolete pesticides should be separated from operational stocks.
8.ss. Each storage should have the following for dealing with emergencies: a few bags of sawdust and/or sand to absorb leaked or spilled pesticides; a number of empty containers (preferably salvage drums that can contain a whole 200-litre drum) and empty bags to repack heavily damaged or leaking containers; spade and brush; fire extinguisher; protective gear for staff to enable them to deal with emergencies (nitrile rubber or neoprene gloves, rubber boots, overalls, goggles, vapor masks or half-face respirators with organic vapor cartridges) water supply from a tap, or a container of water, to wash hands and face if these become contaminated.
8.tt. Eyewash set.
8.uu. The contents of leaking or heavily damaged containers should be repacked in appropriate replacement containers. Repacked pesticides should be labeled immediately. Stores should be inspected regularly. Any leakage or contamination should be cleaned up immediately.
8.vv. CPA should keep a record of the stocks in their custody and a separate record of stocks in the country should be kept centrally. Recorded data should include: for incoming pesticides, the arrival date, formulation, quantity, unit size, date of manufacture, supplier and origin; for outgoing pesticides, the date, formulation, quantity, unit size and destination. Records should be updated regularly.
8.ww. A "first In - First Out" Principle should be applied consistently. In other words, always finish old consignments before using newly arrived consignments.
REFERENCES
Local References:
• RA 9003 otherwise known as the “Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000” where recycling of organic waste into MAPECON Green Charcoal is enshrined.
• MAPECON Philippines, Inc. Environmental Compliance Certificate [ECC] issued by the DENR NCR, 1998.
• NCUPC Safety Health Environment Manuals and Guidelines on Safe, Health & Environment. 2000.
• NCUPC Safety Health Environment Manuals and Guideline on Environment Protection. 2000.
International References:
• FAO. 1985. Guidelines for the packaging and storage of pesticides. Rome, FAO.
• GIFAP. 1984. Guidelines for emergency measures in cases of pesticide poisoning. Brussels, International Group of National Associations of Manufacturers of Agrochemical Products (GIFAP).
• GIFAP. 1985. Options for ensuring quality in stored pesticide products. Technical Monograph No. 10. Brussels, GIFAP.
• GIFAP. 1987. Guidelines for the safe transport of pesticides. Brussels, GIFAP.
• GIFAP. 1987. Guidelines for the avoidance, limitation and disposal of pesticide waste on the farm. Brussels, GIFAP.
• GIFAP. 1988a. Guidelines for safe warehousing of pesticides. Brussels, GIFAP.
• GIFAP. 1988b. Pictograms for agrochemical labels: an aid to the safe handling of pesticides. Brussels, GIFAP.
• GIFAP. 1989. Guidelines for personal protection when using pesticides in hot climates. Brussels, GIFAP.
• ILO. 1991. Safety and health in the use of agrochemicals: a guide. Geneva, International Labour Organisation (ILO).
• NRI. 1994. Training supplements, Pesticide Management Training Course. Chatham, UK, Pest Management Department, Natural Resources Institute (NRI).
• Shell International Chemical Company Limited. 1982. Pesticides: a safety guide. London, Shell.
• UKASTA. 1979. Agrochemicals storage handbook. London, United Kingdom Agricultural Supplies and Trade Association (UKASTA).
• UNEP. 1990. Storage of hazardous materials: a technical guide for safe warehousing of hazardous materials. Technical Report Series No. 3. Paris, Industry and Environment Office, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
• WHO. 1986. Informal consultation on planning strategy for the prevention of pesticide poisoning. 25 to 29 November 1985, Geneva. Unpublished World Health Organization (WHO) document WHO/VBC/86.926.
Membership:
• Zero Waste Recycling Movement of the Philippines Foundation, Inc./ Zero Waste Philippines, Inc.
