David Garthwaite
Pesticide Usage Survey Team
Central Science Laboratory
Sand Hutton
York
YO41 1LZ
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs www.csl.gov.uk/liaison

Central Science Laboratory – Sprayer Practice Survey
SUMMARY
As part of the farming and crop protection industry’s proposals for minimising the environmental impact of crop protection chemicals (the Voluntary Initiative) the CPA and UKASTA commissioned
CSL to conduct a survey of arable farms throughout the United Kingdom collecting information on farm sprayer practices. This is the first, largest and most comprehensive survey of this type to be undertaken in the United Kingdom.
Samples of holdings were selected so as to represent the area of all arable crops grown in the United
Kingdom. In total 402 arable holdings were visited throughout the United Kingdom during the autumn/winter of 2001/2002, in addition postal responses from a further 374 holdings were also obtained. Information from 561 spray operators and 887 sprayers was obtained from the 402 holdings in the visit sample. Data from sampled holdings were raised to provide estimates of national practice throughout the United Kingdom and figures relating to these estimates can be found in the current report.
Agronomic Advice
Ninety nine percent of the United Kingdom arable area was sprayed following recommendations from either a BASIS registered agronomist or member of the farm staff who had attended a BASIS course.
Approximately 96% of the UK arable area employed an agronomist who was either independent of part of pesticide distributorship.
Farm Assurance
Holdings accounting for 93% of the UK arable area were part of one or more crop assurance schemes.
Contract Spraying
Excluding spray contractors there are an estimated 60,500 spray operators within the United Kingdom with 65% of farms having a single spray operator, the remainder having 2 or more. Holdings accounting for 11% of the United Kingdom arable area exclusively used a contractor with 72% not using a contractor at all. The remaining 17% used a combination of both farm staff and contractors.
Operator training
Fully certificated operators were responsible for spraying 65% of the total UK arable area, operators who were trained but not fully certificated operators comprising a further 13% and those spraying under grandfather rights the remaining 22%. Most operators spent an average of 24 days/part days spraying each year with the number of days varying according to farm size. Details relating to the frequency of use and type personal protective equipment (PPE) used during spraying was recorded in the survey.
Spray equipment – Age and Numbers
Excluding sprayers owned by contractors there are an estimated 53,000 sprayers in the United
Kingdom. Most farms, 84% used a single sprayer on their holding. Tractor mounted sprayers accounted for 39% of the UK arable area, self propelled sprayers a further 33%, trailed sprayers 28% and quad bikes one percent. Approximately 40% of the UK arable area was sprayed with sprayers less than five years old, 40% between 5 and 10 years, 18% between 10 and 20 years and the remaining 2% over 20 years old.
1

Central Science Laboratory – Sprayer Practice Survey
Sprayer Fittings, Nozzles and Maintenance
Conventional hydraulic sprayers were used on 92% of the United Kingdom arable area with induction hoppers being fitted to all types of sprayers on holdings accounting for 82% of the area. Sprayers accounting for 40% of the area had 2 sets of nozzles, 31% 1 set with the remaining 29% having 3 or more sets. Most holdings, comprising 54% of the UK arable area, replaced nozzles at least once during the year. Holdings accounting for 96% of the UK arable area calibrated their nozzles at least once within a twelve-month period. Nozzles were often varied according to crop and product requirements or in the prevention of spray drift. Seventy seven percent of farmers varied the spray volume rates from individual sprayers depending on the crop grown or pesticide applied.
Sprayer Testing
Holdings accounting for 85% of the UK arable area were aware of independent testing approximately
23% of the total were professionally serviced or maintained by engineering firms or the sprayer manufacturer. Three percent of the UK arable area had a sprayer test conducted by AEA approved testing centres.
Sprayer Filling
Most sprayers, 83% of the United Kingdom arable area, were filled with water from the mains, 6% filled from watercourses, with 16% filling from boreholes and reservoirs – with some farmers obviously filling from one or more sources. Ninety two percent of all sprayers were filled indirectly from a water source using a bowser or header tank between the watercourse and sprayer.
Most pesticide filling, 57% of the United Kingdom arable area was conducted in the yard, with 15% taking place in the field and the remaining 28% being carried out in both situations. Information on drainage, chemical storage, measuring facilities and the proximity to surface water at individual sites was collected and is presented in the current report.
Sprayer Speed
An average sprayer speed of 10 kph was reported for sprayers used on arable farms in the United
Kingdom with average speeds varying from 9 kph for tractor mounted sprayers to 11 kph for self propelled sprayers.
Decision-making before spraying
Factors relating to decision making prior to spraying were also collected with holdings accounting for over 50% of the United Kingdom arable area using either a hand held or cab mounted meter for measuring wind speed. The majority, almost 70% of the arable area relied on visual cues to measure wind direction. Most farmers indicated they would not spray if weather conditions were too windy, wet, frosty or if the ground was waterlogged.
Water protection and LERAP’s
Holdings representing 88% of the United Kingdom arable area indicated they had watercourses bordering at least one of their arable cropping fields. Sprayers having a LERAP-Low Drift star rating were reported on farms comprising 62% of the UK arable area. Farms accounting for 61% of the UK arable area used a buffer zone, including set aside or grass strips, between a cropped field and a watercourse to prevent spray drift. Other measures included switching off or lowering boom sections or conducting LERAP’s. When the use of buffer zones or a LERAP is considered then almost all farms, 95% of the UK arable area, report taking steps to protect watercourses from pesticides.
2

Central Science Laboratory – Sprayer Practice Survey
Disposal of surplus spray and washings
Holdings accounting for 95% of the arable area said they would dispose of residual spray by spraying out onto the field that had just been sprayed with the majority also stating they would dilute before spraying out. Similarly 97% said they would dispose of any spray left in the sump by spraying out onto the previously treated field, 3% would remove the drain plug and less than one percent would decant into containers. A similar pattern was followed for disposal of tank washings. Information on the procedures used to deal with accidental spillages or accidents involving pesticides is presented in the current report.
Disposal of Containers, PPE and unwanted pesticides
Most farms, 97% of the United Kingdom arable area, rinsed containers before disposal. The same proportion of the UK arable area also burnt some or all of their containers with 56% using an incinerator and 31% using an open fire. Disposal patterns for used PPE were similar with an incinerator being used to dispose of used PPE on holdings accounting for 56% of the UK arable area and open fires for 29%. Holdings accounting for a third of the UK arable area indicated that revoked products had been a problem in the past with most being disposed of by the distributor/supplier, specialist disposal companies, local authorities or during the 1991 National Pesticide Retrieval scheme.
Suggestions for Improvements
Farms involved in both the visit and postal surveys indicated several areas where they perceived improvements in pesticide use and delivery would reduce the risk of contamination to either the operator or the environment. Data on their suggested improvements to containers, sprayers, pesticide formulation and other areas are presented in this report.
Next Steps
Data from this report will be used by signatories to the Voluntary Initiative to identify improvements in stewardship activity that will reduce the risk of water contamination and enhance the protection of farm biodiversity.
Further interpretation of these results and recommendations from the Crop Protection Association and others on future Stewardship Activity are contained in the report “Recommendations - Stewardship
Actions to improve Farm Application Practice.” Copies of this report can be obtained from the Crop
Protection Association at 4 Lincoln Court Lincoln Road, Peterborough PE1 2RP
This summary report is part of the Voluntary Initiative. The Voluntary Initiative is a programme of measures, agreed by Government, to minimise the environmental impacts of pesticides.
3