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Pesticide 

Pads.......Page 1

Presidents 

Message....... Page 2

Day................Page 2 h m

Annual Field 

This  permanent  mixing/loading  pad costs approximately $15,000

PESTICIDE  MIXING 
AND  LOADING  PADS

TURFGRASS  ENVIRONMENTAL 
EDUCATION  PROGRAM 
Gregory T.  Lyman

Fall is here. With the weather cooling 
down and the schools back in session, 
many  superintendents  are  able  to 
catch  a  quick  breath  and  lately,  .... 
watch it rain. Along with dealing with 
the  rain,  many  have  been  shifting 
gears on pesticide mixing and loading 
pads. The compliance date of October 
29,1994, seemed to be a far off vision 
when  Regulation  637 landed  in  our 
laps a year ago.  The end of October 
is  right  around  the  corner  and  the 
letter of the law directs that we should 
have our mixing and loading pads in 
place at  that time.  However,  since 
this  industry  will  not  be  applying 
pesticide products during the winter 
months,  the  compliance  date  will 
effectively  be  delayed  until  next 
spring.

I have just completed the first round 
of seminars which featured pesticide 
mixing  and  loading  pads,  storage 
facilities,  and  equipment  washing

pads.  I will be offering this seminar 
again before next spring for those of 
you  which  would  like  an  in  depth 
investigation of these topics.  There 
were  several  important  comments 
that I  learned  from these seminars. 
One of them was a concern voiced by 
many participants that they had been 
interested in constructing a pesticide 
facility  for  some  time,  but  were 
hesitant until legislation from all state 
agencies would provide some clear 
direction. I thinkthat time is now, and 
while I would hate to speculate on the 
life  span  of  our  current  rules  not 
changing, I feel that it is time to make 
the leap of faith and proceed toward 
compliance.

Listed below are some highlights of 
Regulation 637 with respect to mixing 
and loading operations. Rule number 
six in the regulation describes mixing 
and  loading  pads  and  rule  number 
seven describes washing and rinsing 
pads.  The  language  of  these  two 
rules  are  similar and  if you  have  a 
mixing and loading pad, you have a 
washing and rinsing pad.  The intent 
is also similar - to control  potential 
point sources of contamination which 
may occur from the use of pesticides. 
If you have an area which is routinely

used  for  mixing  spray  loads  or for 
washing  of  application  equipment, 
we need to prevent any material from 
being  released  and  reuse  it  in  the 
application  process. 
After 
understanding the requirements, you 
will need to decide whether you are 
already  in  compliance,  can  amend 
your current facility, or would like to 
construct a new facility.

Some of the most important points 
in these rules are:

The  pads  need  to  be  in  place  on 
October 29,  1993.
Again,  for  our  industry  this  really 
means  next  spring.  Many  people 
have asked how active the MDA will 
be in enforcing this part of the rule. In 
answering  this  question  I  need  to 
step lightly as I interpret MDA policy, 
but  I  feel  that  if  you  have  plans  to 
adjust your practices or facilities and 
you are moving in that direction, then 
MDA will certainly work with you.  I 
would speculate that the MDA will be 
directing their enforcement activities 
toward the outliers - those that have 
made the decision to not comply until 
they  are  caught. 
I  refer  to  the  Bo 
Jackson approach - Just Do It.  Not 

(continued  page  4)

WESTERN  VIEWS

FIELD  DAY

1993

In spite of ominous 
skies more than 1000 turf 
managers and suppliers 
gathered at the Hancock 
Turfgrass Research Center 
on August 19th for the 1993 
Turfgrass  Field  Day.  Co­
sponsored by Michigan 
State University and the 
Michigan Turfgrass Foun­
dation, this annual event 
offers a close-up look at 
current research projects as 
well as the latest in turf 
management equipment 
and supplies.

Research projects 

were presented through two 
separate tours; one de­
signed for golf course 
superintendents and a 
second tour for individuals 
engaged in other area of 
turf management. Among 
the most popular projects 
shown were studies mea­
suring the fate of pesticides 
and fertilizers applied to 
turf; biological controls of 
turfgrass pests; and a new 
system for aerifying greens 
from within. Other popular 
stops included an update of 
the Silverdome project as 
well as compliance with 
Regulation #637.

At this latter stop, 
Greg  Lyman,  MSU’s  Envi­
ronmental Education 
Specialist in Turf, showed 
alternatives for the mixing/ 
loading of pesticides. Turf 
managers visiting this stop 
were able to view both a

Meerman for Vice-President, 
Keith  Paterson for Secretary/ 
Treasurer and Al Bathum,  Doug 
Boyle, Tom McGuinness, and 
Paul Wicks for Directors. Also, 
at this meeting, we will voting 
on a dues increase, which hits 
near and dear to all our hearts.
Last and certainly not 

least is our Fall  Party.  Bill 
Madigan will be hosting at the 
Country Club of Jackson on 
November 6th. If you have ever 
attended anything at the Coun­
try  Club of Jackson you know 
that this will be the best spread 
of food that you have ever 
feasted upon.  It will be first 
class all the way. For those of 
you who have never attended 
any of our Fall Parties, you are 
missing out on a very nice 
evening that you probably owe 
to your wife, girlfriend, signifi­
cant other, or a “woman you 
know”. To Kathys Antaya and 
Hilbert, there is no chauvinism 
intended.

The season may be 

coming to an end, but the fun is 
just beginning. I hope you will 
be able to attend and enjoy all 
these events.

Chris Fochtman CGCS

(continued)

President’s
Message

The season is beginning 

to wind down. But that doesn’t 
mean that there aren’t plenty of 
things going on. Our year ends 
with three major events: Golf 
Day; the Annual  Meeting and 
Election; and the Fall Party.
This year’s Golf Day 

(Turf Research  Benefit  Day) will 
be held at the always perfectly 
manicured Egypt Valley Country 
Club on September 13th. The 
event will be held on the valley 
course, while the ridge course 
will serve as the alternate 
course. A great day is planned 
and I hope everyone has an 
enjoyable time.

Our annual meeting and 

election will be held at 
Thornapple Creek Golf Course 
on the 28th of September with 
Larry Murphy as our host. An 
excellent slate of candidates has 
been set up and each 
candidate’s profile has been 
sent to you to help determine 
the best person for the job. 
Briefly, the slate consists of 
Harry Schuemann for President, 
Paul Schippers and Pat

WESTERN  VIEWS

Field  Day  (continued)

permanent mixing/loading pad 
combined with pesticide stor­
age, as well as a portable pad. 
With the October 29th deadline 
for compliance nearing, much 
interest was generated  by this 
stop.

Following the morning 

research tours, Field Day 
attendees strolled across Mt. 
Hope Rd. to the equipment 
show.  It was here that they 
were able to discuss with 
suppliers some of the products 
and concepts that they had 
heard about during the 
morning.They also had the 
opportunity to bid on numerous 
items of equipment and sup­
plies that had been donated for 
the annual auction. This year’s 
auction was one of the most 
successful, with over $16,000

being provided for turfgrass 
research.

Two members of the 
WMGCSA played  important 
roles in the success of this 
year’s field day.  Harry 
Schuemann CGCS, from Crys­
tal  Springs  CC  and  MTF Trea­
surer, was instrumental in the

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.  _  .  g a lle y   Turf 

Wilbur-Ellis

u i; t  1  o  ?003

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY 

LIBRARIES

appearance of the Hancock 
Center. He and several of his 
employees spent the afternoon 
prior to the Field Day helping 
the Hancock Center staff in 
cleaning equipment and gener­
ally getting the facility ready. In 
addition, Harry oversaw the 
installation of new landscaping 
that was in evidence during the 
Field Day. John  Read of Spar­
tan Distributors was also 
invaluable to the success of this 
year’s event. John took it as a 
personal challenge to find 
better used equipment for the 
auction and was obviously 
successful based on the dollars 
bid. In fact, John was a suc­
cessful bidder on several items 
himself.

On behalf of the entire 
MTF Board of Directors, let me 
offer  our thanks to both these 
WMGCSA members for a job 
well done. And also a big thank 
you to all of you who attended 
this year’s Field Day either as 
suppliers or turf industry 
personnel. We appreciate your 
continued support of this event.
Jim Bogart,  President M.T.F.

WESTERN  VIEWS

- The minimum all pads 

Pesticide  Pads  (continued)
complying does  not help the 
image of this industry.  If you 
need help, call me.

A  pad is required if you mix/load 
or wash/rinse more than 10 days 
on one site.  A site is defined as 
an area of 1/2 mile radius.
If you do not use pesticides for 
more than 10 times during the 
year on a site, then you do not 
need a pad.  Any facility or 
mixing area located within 1/2 
mile of each other is considered 
the same site.  If this rule 
applies to you, I would docu­
ment your procedures to impli­
cate field mixing and loading for 
added safety measures.

Hand-held equipment is exempt. 
Backpack and hand can spray­
ers are do not fall within this

1447 Hope S.E.
Grand Rapids,  Mi  49506

rule as well as push spreaders 
for granular applications.

If the pad is placed 

Pad Size 
must contain  is minute of 
discharge from your filling 
device. 
outside and uncovered, it  must 
contain a 6" rainfall.
What is the capacity of your 
filling device.  Is it 10-15 gallons 
per minute or is it 75-80 gallons 
per minute.  That is the mini­
mum of what you need to 
contain which is not much liquid. 
For the golf industry, any area in 
which is bermed or sloped for 
containment will probably hold 
you whole spray tank.

The pad needs to be an impervi­
ous surface.  This can be sealed 
concrete, chemical resistant 
plastic, etc.
There are no material standards

in this rule, simply performance 
standards.  Make it impervious - 
which gives you the latitude to 
be creative.  There are several 
portable pads available which 
will be very useful for many 
operations and an easy method 
for compliance.  Others will want 
something more permanent and 
seal a concrete area.  There are 
many sealants available which 
vary in structure, performance, 
and cost.  Make sure it is chemi­
cally resistant and then pick the 
one that is right for your opera­
tion.

We will see plenty of activity in 
this area in the coming months.
I will be offering the mixing an 
loading pad seminar again in 
your area in the near future.
Stay tuned to your association 
for more information.  I am here 
to help, so give me a ring.
BULK RATE 
U. S. POSTAGE 

PAID

GRAND RAPIDS, MI 
PERMIT NO. 582