Following the theft of highly toxic aluminium phosphide-based chemicals from a van in Manchester, BPCA urges technicians to be careful about leaving pesticides unattended in vehicles. 

Police have launched a major investigation after Talunex - an aluminium phosphide-based chemical which is used to control pests - were taken from a stolen van in June.

Talunex is dangerous and should only be used by those holding an approved certificate of training, such as the RSPH Level 2 Award in the Safe use of Aluminium Phosphide.

As pesticides are a necessary part of every pest technician's toolkit, there will always be a need to transport these in your vehicle.

However there are precautions you can take to ensure that you do everything possible to prevent a theft of dangerous chemicals from taking place.

• We recommend that you try to work within sight of your vehicle where possible - especially in areas where the public may have access
• Where this isn't practical, ensure that the vehicle and the pesticide cabinet inside is securely locked when it is unattended
• We would also recommend that any pesticide products are removed from vans overnight and stored appropriately
• Make sure your alarm is activated when not in use and consider putting extra security measures in place, such as GPS tracking system. 

Another potential hazard of leaving pesticides in your vehicle is the risk of exposing people to toxic gases in the event of a fire.

Back in 2006 almost 20 firefighters, police and members of the public required hospital treatment when a vehicle containing pesticides caught fire in Suffolk. 

It was declared a major incident at the time, due to the number of people injured.

Buying, using, transporting and storing pesticides should always be done responsibly and safely. 

QUESTIONS ABOUT PESTICIDE STORAGE?

If you're a BPCA member and you'd like advice on best practice when it comes to moving and storing pesticides, get in touch.

technical@bpca.org.uk