This blog was written and submitted by Y4N Global Ambassador, Ikram Abdelli.
In my journey, I’ve witnessed how the tools created to sustain agriculture can also endanger the balance of our environment, and I’ve come to understand that protecting nature also means rethinking how we use and manage the tools of modern agriculture. A pesticide container is never just an empty bottle; it is the ghost of what it once carried. Inside, there were chemicals meant to guard crops: antiseptics and fungicides, herbicides for stubborn weeds, products against insects and rodents, treatments for bacterial or viral attacks, even plant growth regulators and additives. Some were used to sanitize barns or storage areas, others to protect harvested grains or animal feed.
Powerful, effective, but also risky if mishandled. In short, these are not harmless leftovers. And that’s why they are taken seriously on an international scale. In Morocco, Law 28-00 calls pesticide containers what they truly are: dangerous waste, not just forgotten plastic bottles. Europe, on the other hand, speaks in directives: Directive 2008/98/EC is the ‘parent law’ that tells farmers to triple-rinse, puncture, and hand over their empty jugs to collection schemes like France’s ADIVALOR. Meanwhile, India takes no shortcuts: its Hazardous Waste Rules of 2016 and the classic Insecticides Act of 1968 treat pesticide packaging as hazardous from the very start, with strict bans on burning or dumping. Different continents, different accents, but the same message: an empty pesticide container is never really empty, and ignoring that truth comes at a very real cost to the environment.
Much of the contamination from pesticide containers starts with a simple problem: ignorance. Many users see an empty jug or bag as just another piece of trash, unaware that residues can still be highly toxic. This problem is compounded by the lack of proper collection and recycling structures, leaving farmers and households without clear options for safe disposal. Some companies have stepped up, for example, the Ag Container Recycling Council (ACRC) in the United States runs a free take-back program for rinsed pesticide containers, but such initiatives are limited or absent in many regions. Without proper management, these residues find their way into the environment. They can volatilize into the air, drift far from the application site, and expose humans and animals to harmful chemicals. They can leach into groundwater and surface water, contaminating drinking supplies and aquatic life. And they can seep into soils, altering microbial communities, reducing fertility, and ultimately entering the food chain.
Residues from empty pesticide containers do not simply vanish after use. Recent studies have shown alarming persistence in the environment: a survey in the Upper Rhine Valley, Germany, detected 93 different pesticides in soil, water, and surrounding vegetation, even in uncultivated areas, highlighting the extent of contamination. In Finland, another study found 198 pesticide residues across 148 agricultural sites, demonstrating how these chemicals accumulate in the soil over time. When these containers are burned, an unfortunately common practice in many regions, they release a cocktail of toxic gases, including dioxins, furans, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), all of which pose serious risks to respiratory and cardiovascular health.
People can be exposed directly by handling contaminated containers or indirectly through contaminated soil, water, and food. Short-term exposure can cause dizziness, nausea, skin irritation, and respiratory issues, while long-term exposure is linked to more severe consequences, including cancers, hormonal disruptions, reproductive problems, and developmental disorders. Even low-level, chronic exposure through drinking water, crops, or airborne particles can accumulate in the body over time, potentially leading to neurological disorders and metabolic diseases. Pregnant women and children are particularly vulnerable, as pesticide residues can affect fetal development and increase the risk of complications. This chain of exposure illustrates how what seems like an innocent empty bottle can quietly work its way into the food chain, our homes, and our bodies, making proper disposal and management of pesticide packaging not just an environmental concern, but a pressing public health issue.
While the environmental and health risks of pesticide residues are significant, the role of plant protection products (PPPs) in ensuring food security cannot be overlooked. Without effective pest and disease management, crop yields can be severely compromised, leading to food shortages and economic losses. For instance, the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda has caused maize yield losses of up to 73% in affected regions of South Asia and North Africa, with economic losses reaching hundreds of millions of dollars annually, underscoring the critical need for effective pest and disease management strategies. However, the use of PPPs must be carefully regulated to minimize environmental and health risks. Implementing stringent registration processes, promoting integrated pest management (IPM) practices, and ensuring proper disposal of pesticide containers are essential steps in achieving this balance. By adopting such measures, we can protect our crops, environment, and health, ensuring a sustainable and secure food supply for the future.
The FAO emphasizes that careful management of pesticide containers throughout their lifecycle is key to minimizing risks to both human health and the environment. This includes proper storage, handling, labeling, and disposal of containers. Warehouses must be designed to accommodate all pesticides safely, ideally indoors or under a roof, with smooth, impermeable floors, well-ventilated spaces, and clearly marked aisles. Containers should be stacked in a stable manner, following the “first-in, first-out” principle, and separated by pesticide type to avoid accidental contamination. Regular inspections are essential to detect leaks, corrosion, or deterioration, and damaged containers must be repaired or replaced immediately.
Labels must be clear, legible, and updated whenever contents are transferred, while handling and transport should prevent damage or accidental mixing with food or consumer goods. In the event of spills, absorbent materials like sand or sawdust should be used, never water jets, and all contaminated materials must be collected for proper disposal. Importantly, empty pesticide containers can never be fully cleaned and must be treated as hazardous waste. Paper or cardboard packaging may be safely burned if not heavily contaminated, but containers of hormonal herbicides should never be incinerated in open air. Glass and metal containers should be crushed and sent to official collection centers, while highly contaminated rinse water must be treated as toxic waste.
Even expired or unusable pesticides require careful management. Proper storage minimizes the generation of expired stock, but if disposal is necessary, it must be done through official collection centers or incineration at high temperatures. Warehouse staff should avoid handling these products directly, relying instead on specialist services to ensure safe disposal.
Pesticide containers are more than empty vessels; they are potential sources of persistent chemical residues threatening soil, water, air, and human and animal health. Improper disposal or burning releases toxic compounds causing neurological, hormonal, and reproductive issues. At the same time, plant protection products are essential for preventing devastating crop losses from pests and diseases. The solution is responsible, regulated management. FAO standards, legal frameworks, and best practices in storage, handling, labeling, and disposal enable pesticides to protect crops without compromising health or the environment. Moreover, sound pesticide and container management contributes to climate change mitigation by preventing the release of greenhouse gases and preserving ecosystem resilience. Proper container management is a cornerstone of sustainable, safe, and climate-resilient food systems.
References
FAO. (2025). Guidelines on Management Options for Empty Pesticide Containers. https://openknowledge.fao.org/items/097784bf-086b-4532-8cbc-0db9d0e2fe73
FAO. (2025). Guidance on Good Labelling Practice for Pesticides (Second Revision). https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/195650/9789241509688_eng.pdf
FAO. (2025). Pesticide Storage and Stock Control Manual. https://fr.scribd.com/document/154481652/FAO-Pesticide-Storage-and-Stock-Control-Manual-En
FAO. (2025). Packaging, Labelling and Advertising. https://www.fao.org/pest-and-pesticide-management/pesticide-risk-reduction/code-conduct/packaging-labelling-and-advertising/en/
FAO. (2025). International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides. https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/f6a95514-8281-4c56-be87-0d7db94e66f6/content
WHO. (2025). Guidelines on Highly Hazardous Pesticides. https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/205561/9789241510417_eng.pdf
CropLife International. (2020). Guidelines for the Safe Warehousing of Crop Protection Products. https://croplife.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Guidelines-safe-warehousing-of-CPP-resize-021219-1.pdf
PAN Germany. (2005). FAO Code - Grab it for Action. https://www.pan-germany.org/download/fao_code.pdf
IUPAC. (2010). Disposal and Storage of Pesticides. https://agrochemicals.iupac.org/index.php?catid=3&option=com_sobi2&sobi2Id=8&sobi2Task=sobi2Details
WHO. (2025). Guidance on Management of Household Pesticides.
https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/337126/9789240011915-eng.pdfNature. (2025). Impact of Fall Armyworm on Maize Yields. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-02595-7
Photo: IQV by Cerestia