Best Management Practices for Agricultural Chemical Handling, Mixing, and Storage Storage and handling of pesticides and fertilizers in their concentrated form poses the highest potential risk to surface or ground water from agricultural chemicals. For this reason, it is essential that facilities for the storage and handling of these products be properly designed, sited, and managed. Design the storage area to protect pesticides and fertilizers from possible theft, unauthorized use by untrained personnel, and temperature extremes.
Federal law requires that concentrated pesticide be stored in a secured area.
Therefore, outdoor storage containers should be located within a permanently fenced area. Be sure to post warning signs near each entrance to the storage facility. In most cases, pesticide and fertilizer should be stored separately to minimize the possibility of cross contamination or hazardous waste in the case of fire or other disaster. Small operations can avoid the need for multiple storage areas by constructing separate containments for pesticide and fertilizer within the same structure. Whenever possible, you should minimize storage of chemicals to avoid the associated risks.