Pesticides
Pesticides are usually commercially prepared products that were sprayed onto museum and other institutions' collection items as a method of preservation.
By what other names were pesticides known?
Pesticides can be found under a variety of trade names such as Round Up, Endosulfan, and Paraquat. DDT is a pesticide, and thymol is sometimes used.
Why are pesticides a hazard we need to think about?
Many of the pesticides used in the past have since been banned by many countries because they were found to be toxic to humans as well as to the environment.
Where might we find pesticides?
Pesticide residue may be found on old museum items, along with any old spraying devices that may have been donated to rural museums. You may even have the original pesticide containers in your storerooms.
How can we confirm that we have pesticides?
The use of a hand-held x-ray fluorescence (pXRF) analyser is a great, damage-free way to test your items for mercury and other heavy metals that were often used in pesticides.
If your institution is situated in Otago or Southland, and you think you have pesticides in your collection, Tūhura Otago Museum would be happy to help. We use a pXRF analyser on a regular basis.
If you have liquid residue left in any rural crop spraying devices that are in your collection, you should treat it like a pesticide.
What does the law say about pesticides and poisons?
The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 gives a duty of care to those managing heritage organisations to ensure that their staff and patrons are not harmed. WorkSafe guidelines on how much toxic material can be stored and how it should be stored can be found here: https://www.worksafe.govt.nz/topic-and-industry/hazardous-substances/managing/storage/.
What do museums, galleries, libraries, and archives have to do if they have poisons or pesticides?
Have a H & S management plan that includes:
- Identifying and labelling poison and pesticide-containing materials. This should include items you suspect of containing pesticides but haven’t confirmed.
- Assessing the risks from your poison and pesticide-containing exhibits
- Processes for accidents, incidents, emergencies, and disposal concerning any poison and pesticide-containing items
- Documenting staff training and keeping secure medical records
You can learn more about health and safety plans by going to General H&S Management Plan
How can institutions manage poisons and pesticides in their collections?
Once you have identified and assessed any risks, then you mitigate the risk. You can ensure that the public are unable to handle any poison or pesticide-containing items. Keep an inventory of your items that contain poison or pesticide so that staff are aware of which items are potentially hazardous and know how to handle the items. Hopefully in your processes for accidents, you will have the Poisons Centre phone number 0800 764 766 and their website https://poisons.co.nz/.
If you have liquid poisons or pesticides, or any form of commercially prepared poison or pesticide, you must maintain an inventory of these items. Your inventory should look something like this:
Tūhura Otago Museum can help you set up an inventory.
If museums wish to dispose of any items containing poisons or pesticides, how can they do this safely?
If you wish to dispose of any items with pesticide, contact a WorkSafe-accredited company or the friendly Collections team at Tūhura Otago Museum for advice. WorkSafe encourages PCBUs to use the services of consultants who are listed on the HASANZ Register.
