STORING PESTICIDES SAFELY
If you use home and garden pesticides for weed and pest control, here’s what you need to know to store them safely. It may seem like a lot of rules, but these products pose significant risks. Included in this category are products for repelling and eliminating pests, weed killers, nitrogen stabilizers and other plant regulators. If you’re unsure about a product, check the label for signal words like danger, poison, warning and caution, and for the presence of an EPA registration number.
Proper storage prolongs the chemical shelf life of a product and—more importantly—it protects the health of people, animals and the environment. Here are some general storage requirements, but refer to your pesticide labels for specific information about the products you’ve purchased.
■ The EPA recommends keeping pesticides in a locked cabinet in a well-ventilated utility area or garden shed. They should not be stored with or near food, animal feed or medical supplies.
■ Store in original containers with the labels so you’ll have the directions, ingredients and first aid steps in case of poisoning. Keep the tops tightly closed. Never store pesticides in the application equipment, where they are more likely to spill and to be accessed by children.
■ Keep out of reach of children and pets. These products should be 5 ft. above the ground in that locked (preferably metal) cabinet. ■ Locate your cabinet where there is no chance of flooding and where pesticides will not leak or spill into a floor drain. From there, they would enter the sewer and cause toxic pollution. ■ The temperature in the storage area should not get below 40 degrees or over 100 degrees F. Very high or low temps can cause a pesticide to deteriorate and become ineffective. High humidity and direct sunlight will also cause pesticides to break down. Cool and dry is the goal.
■ Flammable liquids should be stored outside your living area and far away from an ignition source such as a furnace, car, grill or lawn mower.
■ Keep emergency numbers near your storage area and/or on your phone. The National Poison Center number is 800-222-1222.
■ When you need to throw away chemicals, follow the instructions on the labels. Empty pesticide containers should not simply be thrown into the trash or recycling bin. Thoroughly rinse them before disposal, and the diluted rinse water should be disposed of by applying it to the same areas you sprayed. If you have unwanted leftover pesticide, drop it off with a local program; search online for
“household hazardous waste disposal near me.”
■ Don’t buy more pesticide than you will need soon—think in terms of what you’ll need for one year or less to avoid the need to store it. To help prevent stocking up, keep your storage cabinet as small as possible.
■ Finally, and best of all, choose nontoxic alternatives whenever you can.