Good practice for using pesticides and biocides
Store all chemicals in an area where you can contain spills. Keep chemical containers within an impermeable secondary containment area that will hold liquids if the main containers leak or break.
Secondary containment areas include bunds, bunded or spill pallets, sump pallets, bunded storage units and storage cabinets with integral sumps.
If you have one storage container in a bund, the bund should be able to hold at least 110 per cent of its volume.
If you have more than one container, your bund should be able to contain at least 110 per cent of the volume of the largest container or 25 per cent of the total volume you are likely to store, whichever is greater.
Health and Safety Executive – Storing agricultural pesticides
Manage your pesticide use
Only buy the amount of pesticides and biocides that you need.
Keep an inventory of the pesticides and biocides you have on site, and details of when you received them and when you should dispose of them if you don't use them up. This will help you to avoid having more than you need, and therefore reduce your waste.
Check the pesticides register of approved products to see if products you use are going to be withdrawn. The register gives details of product approval, revocation and withdrawal.
Chemicals Regulation Directorate: Approved and withdrawn Plant Protection Products
HSE: Approved biocides and non-agricultural pesticides register
Alternatives to pesticides and biocides
Think carefully whether you really need to use a pesticide at all. If you use a pesticide when you don't need to you:
- will be wasting money
- will increase the possibility of pests becoming resistant
- could damage the treated area.
You can use techniques that reduce the use of pesticides and biocides, including biological and cultural control methods, and using disease-resistant varieties of plants. Cultural control methods include crop rotation and techniques to maintain crops in peak health so they are less susceptible to pests. This is known as integrated pest management.
The Voluntary Initiative: Pesticide use advice
DAERA has produced a guide to help farmers understand the requirements of Integrated Pest Management.
DAERA: Integrated Pest Management Guidance