At some point, you have undoubtedly used herbicides to treat weeds in your garden or lawn. Herbicides are an effective way of treating nuisance plants that can detract from the beauty of your landscaping. However, proper storage is imperative. Herbicides are poisons. While the toxicity may vary, the potential environmental risk necessitates that they are used and stored correctly.
Effects
Herbicides pose serious human health and environmental risks. Accidental spills can leach into the soil and contaminate drinking water sources. Likewise, herbicides can enter waterways, causing far-reaching damage. The risk is greater with non-selective herbicides. These herbicides can potentially harm any organism regardless of whether it was the intended target. The effects are not limited to agricultural practices. Common herbicides such as glyphosate can cause kidney damage in humans. Other pesticides such as alachlor are probable human carcinogens.
Site Selection
Ideally, you will be able to store herbicides in a designated area. In any case, your storage site should not be located in an area prone to flooding to prevent accidental environmental contamination. Herbicides are best stored away from homes or pet areas. If you cannot dedicate a separate area, you can at least use only one area to store herbicides.
Storage Area
Whether you store your herbicides in a cupboard or a separate outbuilding, the site should have a lock on it to prevent children and others from getting into the stored herbicides. You may also want to include signage near the area, warning of pesticide danger. While you may take the utmost care in handling herbicides, your storage can also include items to have on hand, such as kitty litter or sawdust, in case of an accidental spill. Refer to the herbicide's label or safety data sheet for additional information.
Cautions
Accident prevention is the theme of proper herbicide storage. Your storage area should be well ventilated to prevent injury from inhaling herbicide vapors. Likewise, place your herbicides out of direct sunlight in order to prevent the contents overheating. The resulting pressure could cause the contents to splatter next time you use them. Keeping pesticides in their original containers is the best way to store them.
Prevention/Solution
In order to avoid the risks of storing herbicides, you can use safer, less toxic methods of weed control. Manual removal remains the safest way to control weeds without any of the environmental risks of using herbicides. Alternatively, you can use a vinegar solution, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA. A study by the USDA found that 5- and 10-percent concentrations of a household vinegar solution effectively killed weeds.
References
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Drinking Water Contaminants
- "Illinois Pesticide Applicator Training Manual: General Standards"; P. Nixon, C. Anderson, N. Pataky, R. Wolf, R. Ferree and L. Bode; 1995.
- Alabama Cooperative Extension System: Dogs and Pesticide Use
- "Invasive Plants: Weeds of the Global Garden"; John M. Randall and Janet Marinelli (eds.); 1996.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Spray Weeds With Vinegar?
Member Comments