Contact: Jane Larson (608) 224-5005
MADISON–Pesticide mixers, loaders, applicators and ag facility operators are reminded to check their mixing and loading pads. If the pads are made of asphalt, this is the last growing season that they can be used, say officials with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.
Revisions to Wisconsin’s fertilizer and bulk storage rules require that asphalt mixing and loading pads used while handling liquid pesticides must be taken out of service by December 31, 2009. The department has found that asphalt is too porous to effectively contain spills of liquid pesticides or liquid fertilizers.
“We’ve also found that some liquid pesticides will corrode the surface of the asphalt pad which increases the risk of product seeping through the pad into the ground,” explained Mathew Laak, containment specialist with the state agriculture department.”
If a facility will no longer use an asphalt pad, the area under and around the pad will need to be checked for environmental contamination at some point.
If the asphalt pad will be taken out of service and removed, the facility must complete an assessment to determine if there is environmental contamination under or around the pad. This means samples of soil and groundwater must be taken and analyzed by an environmental lab to check for the presence of pesticides or fertilizers and the amounts.
If the laboratory analysis shows contamination under the asphalt pad, then the soil must be removed as part of an environmental cleanup. If a site cleanup is required, certain costs are eligible for reimbursement under the Agrichemical Cleanup Program or ACCP.
“We understand that many ag dealerships and facilities are affected by this difficult economy so they may choose to leave the asphalt pads in-place but out-of-service,” Laak said. “Just be aware that if a pad is out of service for five years, a facility will still need to do an environmental assessment of the area under and around the pad to check for possible contamination.” A facility might be able to delay the costs of the environmental assessment right now but there will still be a need to complete the environmental assessment in the future, Laak said.
Another option for facilities with asphalt pads is to replace them with portland cement concrete pads.
If your business intends to pour new concrete pads as a replacement, there are specific steps to take before the new pad can be installed.
* Submit professionally designed plans to DATCP at least 21 days prior to construction of the new pad.
* A professional engineer must certify in writing that the design specifications comply with the requirements found in ATCP 33, the administrative code for storing bulk quantities of pesticide and fertilizer.
Many facilities use asphalt mixing and loading pads to contain spills while transferring dry fertilizer or pesticide-impregnated dry fertilizer. Facilities can continue to use asphalt pads for this purpose as the rule change doesn’t apply for dry fertilizer or pesticide-impregnated dry fertilizer mixing and loading. Although the pads will be used for dry product, they still must be maintained.
“The asphalt pads used for dry fertilizer loading must be maintained so all dry fertilizer that is spilled can by fully recovered,” Laak said. “Proper pad maintenance is necessary to eliminate cracks or crevices where spilled fertilizer can’t be recovered.”
One other significant change related to the handling of dry fertilizer takes place on December 31, 2009. Tarps can no longer be used as dry fertilizer spill containment when loading or unloading railroad cars. Beginning in 2010, loading or unloading dry fertilizer from railcars must be done over an asphalt or portland cement concrete mixing and loading pad or a fixed or portable containment basin.
“If you need to construct a mixing and loading pad to replace a tarpaulin, the same requirements apply for professional, certified designs and those designs must be submitted to our department at lease 21 days prior to construction,” Laak said.
For more information on bulk storage requirements or mixing and loading pad requirements, contact Mathew Laak, 608-224-4518 or email matt.laak@wi.gov.
