Cleaning Spray Equipment
With pesticide application season still underway in terms of herbicide, fungicide and insecticide treatments, we'd like to remind everyone that cleaning your spray equipment must be done over operational area containment.....it is a violation of the Part 255 containment rules to wash application equipment over gravel or any other area of your facility. The rules state:
Cleaning and washing of agrichemical residue from handling, processing and application equipment at an agrichemical facility or non-commercial agrichemical facility shall be done utilizing an operational containment system or structure. Cleaning and washing containment may be accomplished at the loading containment area. If a separate cleaning and washing area is used, it shall be designed to intercept, retain and recover all wash water and agrichemical containing pesticides.
The rules do allow you to clean equipment in the field of application, but only if the cleaning process does not cause runoff from the site. Also, this is a good time to remind everyone that NO BURNING of any kind is allowed at agrichemical facilities. You can RECYCLE your pesticide containers, including clean and cut-up minibulks, by participating in the annual IDA container recycling program. Click here for information on container recycling; if you intend to bring minibulks to the collection sites you MUST call IDA first to let them know what you are bringing and how to prepare the tanks. If you have any questions about compliance with Part 255, please contact IFCA.