Safeguarding Pesticides and Fertilizers

For more information on pesticides, e-mail us or call (360) 902-2036. For fertilizers, e-mail us or call (360) 902-2026.

WSDA regulates the sale, distribution, storage and use of all pesticides, and registers and reviews the labels of fertilizer products that are distributed in the state. WSDA inspects fertilizer and pesticide storage facilities to ensure required safeguards are in place to protect people and animals, and to prevent ground water and surface water contamination.

To prevent pesticides and fertilizers from being stolen and used for illegal or violent purposes, WSDA recommends that members of the agricultural community take the following steps to enhance the safety of their businesses.

Review highly toxic materials stored on the premises. Know who has access to pesticides and fertilizers. Make sure products are securely stored under lock and key.

Identify practical steps to avoid contamination of crops by improving security on the farm.

Dispose of unused pesticides. If you have unused or unusable pesticides, contact WSDA to find out the date of the next waste pesticide collection.

Report suspicious activity. If you notice unfamiliar persons, or familiar persons engaging in suspicious behavior on the farm, report it to:

Local law enforcement
Local FBI field office
Washington State Patrol

Guidance for pesticide and fertilizer safety

To view PDF files, download Acrobat Reader.

Chemical Facility Vulnerability Assessment, U.S. Department of Justice, November 2002.
Site Security Guidelines for the U.S. Chemical Industry, American Chemistry Council, October 2001.
Security Alerts Resource Guide, National Pesticide Information Center.
Guidelines to help ensure a secure agribusiness, Agricultural Retailers Association, CropLife America and the Fertilizer Institute, 2003.
Pesticide Security for PCOs: Understand that your employees are your first line of defense, Palmetto Pestalk, South Carolina Pest Control Association, December 2001.
PIP-37 Store Pesticides Safely, information sheet, Clemson University, September 2001.
Pesticide Emergencies - Keep that cell phone handy! Palmetto Pestalk, South Carolina Pest Control Association, March 2002.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Pesticide Safety and Site Security [2.4MB PDF]
Chemical Accident Prevention: Site Security, Chemicals In Your Community.
EPA's Role in Counter-Terrorism Activities
Local Emergency Planning Committees and Deliberate Releases: Addressing Terrorist Activities in the Local Emergency Plan, fact sheet, August 2001.

Additional resources

U.S. Department of Agriculture
Focus on Agriculture and Food Terrorism, Agrichemical and Environmental News, Washington State University, November 2001.
CHEMTREC - Provides emergency response personnel with immediate access to technical information about the products involved, guidance on how to protect themselves and the public, and what initial action is required to mitigate the incident. Phone service toll-free 24-hours a day (800) 424-9300 and there is no charge to the caller for this service.
Information and links for the general public.

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