Preparation

The label is an official document that contains all the information about the product, its correct use and recommendations. All label instructions must be followed.

Mixtures should be prepared in a location that is practical, functional and safe for operators and the environment. Places close to the pesticide store are often be the most suitable.

The minimum precautionary protective equipment to be worn during the mixture preparation are protective coveralls, nitrile gloves, rubber boots and a face shield.

Suitable protective equipment minimises the risk of operator contact with a product in the event of accidental spillage.

Never dispose of empty containers carelessly. Practices that were accepted until a few years ago, such as burning, burying or disposal in public refuse bins are now incorrect.

Preparation of the spray mixture

The preparation of the spray mixture calls for special precautions on the part of the operator. In addition to handling concentrated, undiluted products, there is a range of operations such as mixing and filling sprayer tanks that call for careful attention.

Preparing the spray mixture is an operation involving a high level of responsibility, which should only be carried out by trained personnel. It is essential to ensure that there are no people or animals in the vicinity of the place where the spray mixture is being prepared and to take every precaution to ensure that no errors or accidents occur that might have negative effects on the quality of the treatment, or on the operator or the environment.

Before preparing the mixture, there are some basic rules that should be remembered: Read the labels and follow the instructions;

• Wear suitable personal protective equipment; 
• Check that the application equipment to be used is calibrated and working properly; 
• Check that the first aid equipment and emergency telephone numbers are within easy reach; 
• Calculate the quantity of spray mixture required for the crop protection treatment. 

Place where the spray mixture is prepared

It is recommended that a specific place is used to prepare the mixture. The place must be practical, functional and safe, and safeguards the environment. Places close to the crop protection products store will often be the most suitable. The place, which may or may not be roofed, should not have any side walls and the floor should be impermeable, at least in the area where the sprayer is filled, and should be capable of retaining accidental spillages.

When a fixed place is not possible, it is recommended to change the place where the mixture is prepared regularly, bearing in mind that these places should be well ventilated and well away from springs, wells and watercourses.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

The labels of products state, under the heading Toxicological, Ecotoxicological and Environmental Precautions, the personal protective equipment to be worn. If a product requires the use of special protective measures, these are stated on the label.

The minimum precautionary protective equipment to be worn during the preparation of the spray mixture consists of:

• Protective coveralls; 
• Nitrile gloves; 
• Rubber boots; 
• Face shield. 

Reading the label

The label is an official document that contains all the information about the product, its correct use and recommendations. All label instructions must be followed.

Reading the labels of the products before use is compulsory both for experienced personnel and for those who are preparing a crop protection spray mixture for the first time. Reading the label should not be omitted! The information contained on labels is not the same for all products. It is essential to follow good agricultural practices.

Precautions when preparing the spray mixture

• Open the container by holding it vertically and empty it carefully so as to avoid splashing and/or spills; when emptying a large container (over 5 L/Kg), take care to allow the air to circulate while pouring the product. This allows the product to flow freely, preventing splashing. 
• Keep the container away from your body so as to reduce the likelihood of contact with the product; 
• Measure the product correctly. 
• Do not estimate the quantity, because with some products a small difference in the quantity used can mean that the expected result is not obtained. 
• After measuring the quantity of the product to be used, close the container to avoid spills. 
• Rinse the utensils used to measure the product and empty this rinsing water into the sprayer tank.
• Always place containers and measuring utensils on even, stable surfaces to prevent them falling and spilling their contents.
• Where products are applied by tractor, it is essential to have gloves to hand in case it is necessary to repair the application equipment (e.g. unblocking nozzles, etc). 
• If the operator is the same person who prepared the spray mixture, he should wash the gloves he used, take them off, place them on the tractor and only after that carry out the treatment.

Preparing the spray mixture directly in the sprayer tank

As the result of the huge progress made in improving the quality of product formulations, it is not necessary nowadays to dilute the product first in a separate bucket with some water (pre-mix) and then empty it into the sprayer. The majority of solid products and all liquid products can be emptied directly into the sprayer tank. However, the spray tank stirring system must run while emptying the product.

Mixing procedure

• Calculate the quantity of water and product to be used that both correspond with the area to be treated and that leftover spray is avoided.
• Place half the water required in the sprayer tank, stir, add the product(s) and then add the rest of the water, stirring continuously.
• If necessary to mix several products, solid formulations (Wettable Powder – WP, Water Dispersable Granules – WG) should be added first to the sprayer tank until a homogeneous mixture is obtained, and liquid formulations should only be added afterwards.
• Check that the products are compatible, that the desired mixture is recommended and that a homogeneous mixture is achieved before adding the next product. 

Triple rinsing of containers

After the product has been completely used up, the empty containers should be triple rinsed:

1. Empty the contents of the container completely into the sprayer tank. 
2. Quarter fill the container with water. 
3. Replace the lid and shake vigorously for a few seconds. 
4. Empty the water into the sprayer tank. 
5. Repeat steps 2 to 4 two more times; make the container unusable, preferably without damaging the label and place it in the bags designed for collecting used containers. 

Triple rinsing of containers only applies to rigid containers with a capacity/weight of 25 L/25 Kg which contained crop protection products intended for the preparation of spray mixture.

Rinsing containers yields the following benefits:

• Economic: An unwashed container could contain up to 5% of the product. 
• Efficacy: By rinsing containers all the product is used which increases the efficacy of the treatment. 
• Safety: A well-rinsed container will not contain residues, thereby avoiding the risk of poisoning and other accidents. 
• Environmental: A triple rinsed container will not contaminate the environment. Non-rigid containers of any capacity and rigid containers with capacities between 25 L/25 Kg and 250 L/250 Kg should be completely emptied of their contents, without prior rinsing. 

General container disposal recommendations

Never dispose empty containers carelessly. Never throw away and dispose empty containers:

• In fields (cultivated or uncultivated). 
• In rivers, streams or drainage ditches. 
• In public refuse bins. 
• Never burn crop protection product containers.
• Never reuse empty crop protection product containers for any purposes as they may contain product residues.

Practices that were accepted until a few years ago, such as burning, burying or disposal in public refuse bins are now incorrect. Ask your dealer or the crop protection industry about the empty container collection scheme in place.

Checklist

Safety during the preparation of crop protection product mixtures is crucial. It is recommend to follow the checklist below before beginning the task. If the answer to any of these questions is “NO”, the item concerned should be corrected:

• Is the application equipment clean, in good condition and free from spills?
• Is there is a roll of Teflon tape to repair any tube that leaks?
• Is the personal protective equipment (PPE) clean, in good condition and ready to be worn by the operator who is preparing the spray mixture?
• Are the utensils for measuring the crop protection products clean and kept in the place where the spray mixture is prepared?
• Is there is a receptacle nearby containing clean water for rinsing hands and eyes in the event of accidental contamination?
• Is there water/a shower available near the mixture preparation site for decontaminating the operator in the event of an accidental spillage? 
• Are there emergency telephone numbers (police, ambulance, hospital, fire service, Centre of Toxicology) and a first aid guide within easy reach, and are they regularly updated and clearly signed?
• Are there facilities for the triple rinsing of containers?
• Are empty containers (after being placed in sacks ready to be collected) stored in the crop protection products store?