LAST week I started looking at the negative impact of agro chemicals on the environment where I gave an overview, but today I am focusing on safe handling of pesticides.
It is essential that pesticides are safely stored before use so that they do not contaminate the environment or harm human health.
A pesticide is a chemical substance used to kill weeds, insects, rodents, or other pests.
There are 10 basic rules for proper pesticide storage and stock management that have been put forward by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in the Pesticide Storage and Stock Control Manual.
Some of the rules say that pesticide stores or dealer shops should not be located in or near densely populated urban areas or near water bodies.
The storage capacity, that is, the total storage surface should be sufficient to store the total stock of pesticides at any time.
Each store should have sufficient ventilation openings to avoid unnecessarily high temperatures and floors made of, or covered by, impermeable concrete or cement.
For temporal purposes, the floors should be covered by a large and thick polyethylene sheet.
The ramps at entrances should not contain any leakage within the store.
The doors should be lockable, bars across ventilation holes and windows to prevent unauthorised entry.
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 and 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.
The drums and bags should be stored on pallets where as the number of containers stacked on top of each other should not exceed the stacking recommendations for the type of container concerned.
Over stacking may lead to rupture of containers lower down and reduces access to containers.
Pesticide stores should only contain pesticides; all other goods or objects should be removed.
The obsolete pesticides should be separated from operational stocks.
The store should have the bags of sawdust and/or sand to absorb leaked or spilled pesticides.
Some empty containers preferably salvage drums that can contain a whole 200-litre drum and empty bags to repack heavily damaged or leaking containers are also required in the event of any emergence.
The store should have a spade, brush, fire extinguisher and protective gear for staff to enable them to deal with emergencies.
Water supply from a tap, or a container to wash hands and face if the event that somebody comes into contact with the chemicals is necessary.
The contents of leaking or heavily damaged containers should be repacked in appropriate replacement containers and repacked pesticides should be labelled immediately.
Stores should be inspected regularly and any leakage or contamination should be cleaned up immediately.
Storekeepers should keep a record of the stocks in their custody while separate record of stocks in the country should be kept centrally.
Recorded data should include incoming pesticides, the arrival date, formulation, quantity, unit size, and date of manufacture.
The data should also have the name of the supplier and origin.
For outgoing pesticides, the date, formulation, quantity, unit size and destination should equally be recorded.
The records should be updated regularly.
The “first in – first out “principle should be applied consistently, in other words, always finish old consignments before using newly arrived consignments.
Most pesticides cause adverse effects if intentionally or accidentally ingested or if they are in contact with the skin for a long time.
Pesticide particles may be inhaled with the air while they are being sprayed.
An additional risk is the contamination of drinking-water, food or soil.
Special precautions should be taken during transport, storage and handling.
Spray equipment should be regularly cleaned and maintained to prevent leaks.
It is therefore critical that people who work with pesticides should receive proper training in their safe use.
But the situation on the ground as monitored is different as most of the agro dealers employ unqualified staff.
However, pesticides should be packed and labelled according to WHO specifications.
Label and labelling means the written, printed or graphic matter on, or attached to, the pesticide or the immediate container thereof and also to the outside container or wrapper of the retail package of the pesticide.
The label should be both in English and local language, and it should indicate the contents, safety instructions (warnings) and possible measures in the event of swallowing or contamination.
The local legal provisions on labelling according to Section 65 of the Environmental Management Act (EMA) number 12 of 2011 states that aperson who intends to manufacture, import, export, store, distribute, transport, blend, process, re-process or change the composition of a pesticide or toxic substance or who intends to reprocess an existing pesticide or toxic substance for a significantly new use, shall apply to the Agency for a licence.
The Zambia Environmental Management Agency is the only body authorised to issue such licenses.
Under Statutory Instrument number 112 of 2013, Regulation 35 provides that a person shall not deal in a pesticide or toxic substance in a container or package without a label or a container or package that has a label which is not approved by the Agency.
Function of the label include communicating the hazardous nature of the chemical, in an understandable way so that everyone handling it can understand hazardous nature of the product and what precautions to take.
The label draws the attention of person that handles or use the product to its inherent hazard.
It also provides essential information on the hazardous substance present in the product, and set out the safety measures to be taken into account.
However, section 122 of EMA on offences related to chemicals attracts 500, 000 penalty units, K15, 000 five years imprisonment or both.
One unit is equivalent to K0.30.
Pesticides should be stored in a place that can be locked and inaccessible to children so they are not mistaken for food or drink.
Keep them dry, away from fires or direct sunlight and do not carry them in a vehicle that is also used to transport food.
Left-over insecticide suspension should be disposed of safely by pouring it into a specially dug hole in the ground or a pit latrine but where it may not enter water used for drinking or washing, fish ponds or rivers.
Some insecticides, such as the pyrethroids, are very toxic to fish therefore dig a hole at least 100 metres away from streams, wells and houses.
In a hilly area the hole should be on the lower side of such areas.
Pour run-off water from hand washings and spray washings into the hole, and bury containers, boxes and bottles used for pesticides in it.
Disposal of small amounts of pesticides should be carried out by applying it according to label recommendations.
Managing stocks of pesticides carefully and not over ordering is equally essential to avoid having to dispose of large amounts of material.
However, where this is unavoidable, advice should be taken on legal methods for disposal according to local requirements from ZEMA.
Well, it is gratifying that Government through ZEMA has continued to mainstream environmental and particularly chemical issues into the national development planning processes because inadequate environmental interventions may lead to a huge burden on the economy thereby exacerbating the levels of poverty.
The process of mainstreaming helps governments to evaluate the cost of inadequate environmental interventions.
This is critical to the overall attainment of sustainable development of the country.
ENVIRONMENTAL TIP: Did you know that it takes one million years for a glass bottle to decompose-ZEMA
Happy Easter and have a blessed week!
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