Pesticide Handling Facilities

This is an old version of the page

This is an old version of the page

Date published: 8 December, 2015

Date superseded: 5 January, 2015

To see recent changes, check the bottom of this page.

The aim of this item is to improve water quality by reducing the risks of water pollution arising from the handling and mixing of pesticides on farm steadings.

Constructed pesticide sprayer loading and washdown areas, biobeds, biofilters, washdown areas, drip trays and portable bunds all have the potential to improve water quality by preventing run-off entering the water environment.

Any land is eligible, provided that it meets all of the requirements set out below.

You can check if this item is available on your holding here.

  • pesticide sprayer loading and washdown area must be impermeable and a collection facility must be provided to collect run-off
  • the width of the sprayer loading and washdown area must be at least two metres wider than the transport width of the sprayer and at least 1.5 metres longer
  • pesticide handling facilities must not be located within 10 metres of the water environment or a surface water drain, or within 50 metres of any spring or uncapped well or borehole that supplies water for human consumption
  • a waste exemption must be registered with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency for the use of a biobed or biofilter

You can claim:

Standard cost items

  • concrete bunded area – £102 per square metre
  • offset biobed (not including concrete bunded area) – £75 per square metre
  • biofilter – £3,100 per installed unit
  • closed transfer pesticide filling system – £600
  • drip trays / portable bunds:
    - plastic drip tray – minimum 100 litre capacity – £50
    - shallow spill sump – minimum 150 litre capacity – £170
    - shallow spill sump – minimum 350 litre capacity – £233
    - deep spill sump minimum 2,000 litre capacity – £590
    - spill kit (to absorb at least 45 litres) – £75

Actual cost items

To ensure value for money we require you to provide three competitive quotes, which are based on actual cost, for drive-over biobeds.

Items included within the costs can include:

  • pumps and pump chambers, including electric supply and time switches
  • liner for water storage tanks
  • drive-over grids
  • drip irrigation system
  • excavation and installation

The inspectors will check:

  • location and extent of any concrete bunded area
  • location and extent of any offset biobed (not including concrete bunded area)
  • that there is a biofilter
  • that there is a closed-transfer pesticide filling system
  • that there are drip trays / portable bunds (this may involve an invoice check):
    - plastic drip tray
    - shallow spill sump
    - shallow spill sump
    - deep spill sump minimum
    - spill kit
  • pesticide sprayer loading and wash-down area is impermeable and a collection facility is provided to collect run-off
  • the width of the sprayer loading and wash-down area is at least two metres wider than the transport width of the sprayer and at least 1.5 metres longer
  • pesticide handling facilities are not be located within 10 metres of the water environment or a surface water drain, or within 50 metres of any spring or uncapped well or borehole that supplies water for human consumption

Section Change Previous text New text
Eligibility Change to eligibility criteria. The steading must be within a diffuse pollution priority catchment or focus area, unless an endorsement has been obtained from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Any land is eligible, provided that it meets all of the requirements set out below.

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