Unit 11. Transportation, Storage, Containment, Disposal, and Spill Management

Question 1

What precautions should you take when transporting pesticides in a vehicle?

Answer 1

• Never carry pesticides in the passenger compartment.
• Never allow people or pets to ride with pesticides.
• Never transport pesticides with food, clothing, other other things that people or animals might touch or eat.
• Never leave your vehicle unattended when transporting pesticides in an unlocked trunk or open-bed truck.
• Consider transporting highly volatile pesticides separately from other chemicals.

Question 2

The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) classifies certain pesticides (ex. fumigants) as hazardous materials. Give some examples of regulations required by USDOT for transport of these hazardous materials.

Answer 2

• Display of proper placarding (symbols) on transport vehicles.
• Inspect vehicles each day before use.
• Training and licensing drivers to transport hazardous materials.
• Driver background checks.
• Proper recordkeeping.

Question 3

What should you do to protect pesticide containers during transport?

Answer 3

• Transport only containers with intact, undamaged, and readable labels.
• Inspect containers to be sure that all are tightly closed and that there are no pesticide residues on the outside of containers.
• Handle containers carefully.
• Anchor containers securely for transport.
• Protect paper and cardboard containers from the moisture.
• Protect pestcides from extreme temperatures.

Question 4

What should be our objectives in setting up an effective pesticide storage facility?

Answer 4

• To protect people – particularly children – and animals from pesticide exposure.
• To prevent accidental release of pesticides into the environment.
• To protect pestcides from moisture and temperature extremes.
• To secure pesticides against theft, vandalism and unauthorized use.
• Reduce our risk of liability.

Question 5

What sorts of things can you do to secure pesticide storage areas and application equipment from intruders?

Answer 5

• Use fencing, lighting and locks.
• Disable equipment in the field.
• Hire only reliable help and check any contracted handlers for identification and authorization.
• Be ready to contact authorities in emergencies such as vandalism or theft.

Question 6

What sorts of materials work best for the floor of a pesticide storage area?

Answer 6

These non-porous materials are relatively easy to clean and decontaminate.
* Sealed cement.
* Glazed ceramic tile.
* No-wax sheet flooring.

Question 7

Why should a pesticide storage site be temperature-controlled and have good lighting?

Answer 7

• Freezing and extreme heat can reduce or ruin the effectiveness of pesticides.
• Good lighting is essential for reading pesticide labels, to notice any leaking containers, and to clean up any spills.

Question 8

List the “best management practices” (BMPs) for a pesticide storage facility?

Answer 8

• Prevent contamination.
• Keep labels legible.
• Keep containers closed.
• Use original containers when possible.
• Monitor for damage to containers.
• Use pesticide-containment systems, in case of spills.
• Store volatile products (ex. fumigants) separately.
• Isolate waste products and empty containers.
• Keep accurate records of your inventory.
• Manage product and container shelf-life (ex. rotate stock so that older materials are used as soon as possible).

Question 9

Why keep pesticide containers tightly closed while in storage?

Answer 9

• Prevent spills.
• Prevent cross-contamination.
• Prevent evaporation (liquids) or clumping and caking (dry products).
• Keep toxic vapors from escaping.
• Keep out dust and dirt.

Question 10

When you find that you have a damaged pesticide container, what are your options?

Answer 10

• Use the pesticide immediately at a site and a rate that is allowed by the label.
• Transfer the pesticide into another container that originally held the same product and which has an intact label.
• Transfer the contents to a sturdy plastic or other nonporous container that can be tightly closed, then fasten a label to the outside of the new container.

Question 11

Pesticide containment systems are pads or trays that catch leaks, overflows, and wash water. They are especially helpful if you always mix and load pesticides or clean equipment in the same place.

What are the advantages of containment systems?

Answer 11

• Can save time and money.
• They make spill cleanup easier.
• They reduce pesticide waste by allowing reuse of cleanup water.
• Help protect the environment from spills and runoff.

Question 12

Why keep an up-to-date inventory of stored pesticides?

Answer 12

• Helps keep track of stock in case of fire, flood or other emergency.
• To aid in insurance settlements.
• To help estimate future pesticide needs.
• To prevent overstocking of pesticides.

Question 13

When storing pesticides, what can you do to minimize fire and explosion hazards?

Answer 13

• Store pesticides away from open flames or heat.
• Do not store glass containers in sunlight, where the glass container can focus the sun’s rays and possibly explode or ignite.
• Install fire detection systems at large storage sites.
• Equip storage sites with fire extinguishers approved for all types of fires.

Question 14

List ways to avoid having excess pesticides that you have to dispose of.

Answer 14

• Buy only what you need for a year or a season.
• Carefully calculate how much dilute pesticide you need for a job and mix only that amount.
• Be sure that you application equipment is in good working order.
• Use all the mixed pesticide in accordance with labeling instructions.

Question 15

What can you do with excess pesticide materials that are still usable?

Answer 15

• Apply them to a site listed on the labeling. Be sure that the total amount of active ingredient does not exceed the rate and frequency allowed by the labeling.
• Find someone who can legally use them.
• Return them to the dealer, formulator, or manufacturer.
• Try to find a pesticide disposal program in your area.

Question 16

After cleaning your equipment, you collect rinsate that contains ammonia. Can you add this rinsate to a future pesticide mixture?

Answer 16

No. The ammonia in the mixture might harm the application surface.

Question 17

How do you dispose of unusable pesticide wastes (other than empty containers)?

Answer 17

1. Store them until safe and legal disposal is possible.
2. Take them to a hazardous waste landfill or pesticide incinerator for disposal.

Question 18

What do you do with empty pesticide containers?

Answer 18

• If the containers are rinsable, rinse them as soon as they are empty.
• Return all empty pesticide containers to the pesticide storage area or the container-holding area.
• Recycle containers if possible.
• Crush, break, or puncture empty containers (except for aerosol cans) that cannot be refilled, reconditioned, or recycled.
• Dispose of containers in accordance with labeling directions and with any laws or regulations that apply.

Question 19

List three (3) ways to avoid having to dispose of empty pesticide containers.

Answer 19

1. Use refillable containers.
2. Recycle or recondition the containers.
3. Use soluble packaging.

Question 20

What types of empty pesticide containers can be rinsed.

Answer 20

• Glass, metal, plastic.
• Plastic-lined paper or cardboard.
• Unlined paper or cardboard that can withstand the rinsing process.

Question 21

Briefly describe two (2) methods for rinsing empty pesticide containers.

Answer 21

1. Triple rinsing: Fill container about 20% full, shaking the container to wash interior surfaces, then drain the rinse water into the spray tank. Repeat twice more.
2. Pressure washing. Insert a high-pressure nozzle into the container, rotating the nozzle and rinsing. Thoroughly drain the contents into the spray tank.

Question 22

True or false: Pesticide containers that have been properly triple-rinsed or pressure-rinsed may be placed in a sanitary landfill as regular trash.

Answer 22

True. ark the containers (or use a sticker) that shows that they have been rinsed.

Question 23

The “three Cs” of pestcide spill management are “Control, Contain, Clean up.” What does this mean?

Answer 23

1. Control. Protect yourself putting on PPE from your spill kit, then stop the source of the spill. Protect others, secure the area and stay at the site.
2. Contain. Confine the spill to as small an area as possible. Protect water resources, absorb liquids, and cover or dampen dry materials.
3. Clean up. Pick up spilled materials, decontaminating the spill site, neutralizing the spill, if needed. Decontaminate equipment, then decontaminate yourself.

Question 24

How would you contain a large spill of a liquid pesticide?

Answer 24

1. Use a shovel, rake, or other tool, or equipment to make a dike of soil, sod, or other absorbent material.
2. If necessary, cover the entire spill site with absorbent materials (ex. sand, sawdust or pet litter).
3. Be careful NOT to use sawdust or other flammable material when cleaning up spilled pesticides that contain calcium hypochlorite.

Question 25

Describe how to decontaminate and neutralize a sealed concrete spill site.

Answer 25

Decontaminate.
1. Use water and detergent to remove spill residues.
2. Place absorbent material over wash solution.
3. Sweep up the wash solution and place it in a plastic drum or bag for disposal.

Neutralize.
1. Work full-strength bleach, ammonia, or a weak acid into the spill site with a coarse broom. Consult the label, safety data sheet (SDS), or manufacturer for information on what to use.
2. Spread fresh absorbent material over the site to soak up the neutralizing liquid.
3. Sweep up the material and place it in a plastic drum or bag for disposal.

Question 26

Whom should you notify in case of a pesticide spill?

Answer 26

• If the spill endangers people of the environment, first call Virginia Department of Consumer Services, Office of Pesticide Services (804-371-6561). Someone in VDACS-OPS will determine whether you need to report the spill to other agencies. Under some circumstances, you may have to report the spill to the Virginia Emergency Response Council, the Local Emergency Planning Committee, and the National Response Center.
• Call the fire department and/or emergency medical personnel; the city, county or state police; or the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT).

Question 27

What is an emergency spill kit?

Answer 27

If a spill occurs, you will not have time to gather needed items. Therefore, you should have a prepared emergency spill kit.

The spill kit should contain the items on page 11-20 of your manual. These items include:
* Emergency phone numbers (can be store in your cell phone).
* Chemical resistant gloves, footwear, apron, and coveralls/suit.
* Protective eyewear.
* A respirator if you are working with pesticides that require use of a respirator on the label.
* Materials for containing and absorbing the spill.
* Shovel, broom, and dustpan.
* Other items listed on page 11-20 of your manual.

These items should be stored in a sturdy plastic drum so that they will be clean and in good working order when needed.