Storing chemicals

If your business stores any type of chemicals you must take all necessary steps to prevent pollution. Chemicals you may store include cleaning products, pesticides, glues, dyes and solvents.

The chemicals you store could cause pollution if they spill onto land, enter surface waters or groundwater or are released into the air. Many chemical substances are also harmful to human health. If you cause or allow pollution to occur you may be prosecuted and fined. Your business could suffer from lost contracts, production downtime, clean-up costs and increased insurance premiums.

This guide explains how to store chemicals safely to minimise the risk of pollution and how you can store chemicals safely in vehicles, for example if you need to transport chemicals for your work.