Neighborhood guy

[Gene $immons]

There is a guy a block away from me in my neighborhood who has a Fertilizing and Spraying Business. I drive past his house today and see that his tank is overflowing all down the street. I rush up to his house and kill the water hose.

I knocked on his door, and his wife says that he is taking a nap. He finally comes to the door and realized what happened.

You can smell 24D for blocks.

Real nice.

[JFF]

Oops!

That's why I think working from home is not always the best solution, no pun intended. Especially with hazardous chemicals.

That would not have happened in a warehouse surrounded by a dike.

Plus, I would rather drive nails through my thumbs than fill a 200 gallon tank with a residential water hose. Unless you have paint peeling water pressure in your neighborhood.

[Gene $immons]

Well, the guy is a friend of mine - of sorts - He has helped me out with some spraying. But I sure would not want my kid out in the street walking through the puddles.

Kind of dangerous, and unsafe. I know he just forgot about it, but that would be a quick way for him to get fined or lose his license if the city found out.

[JFF]

Meh. Accidents happen. i'm not attacking the dude, just saying it is not as big a deal if you spill in your own warehouse as long as you take proper steps to clean it up. And having the tank overflowing in your driveway is not the best way to make our profession look any more professional. Just sayin...

Plus, I think it is easier to focus if you have a space dedicated to work.

And commercial warehouse space is a great investment in yourself.

[JFF]

On the other hand, broadleaf infestations in your neighborhood may decrease this season!

(J/K.)

[lifetree]

On the other hand, broadleaf infestations in your neighborhood may decrease this season ! (J/K.)

Always best to look at the bright side of things ... wink, wink !!

[Runner]

And it goes right into our water system. This is why it is required by law here in Michigan that all company facilities MUST have a loading pad that is curbed and water tight, and must have some sort of recovery system in place. If someone had called the DEQ, EPA, or even the dept of ag (who then would have contacted these agencies), the sewer system would have been flushed and all costs and expenses would have went to him.

[EagleLandscape]

In Texas, you would get caught with a big fine, and possibly jail time on that one. Probably be suspended, or license removed. They don't mess around with that stuff here. They'll give you a $2,500 ticket for carrying a sprayer with roundup in it in your truck if you don't have a license.

[DLCS]

I think if you are into lawn apps, you really should have a shop away from home. Especially if you live in a urban area or subdivision type neighborhood. Now if you live out in the country away from close neighbors that would be a different story.

[mtnzone]

holy crap that stuff went right into the water system!! not good.... think of the other people affected..

[LawnTamer]

I can't imagine taking a nap while filling my tank, this guy must be a loon or something. I won't even answer my bluetooth if I am mixing/filling.

[IndyChad]

This guy doesn't even deserve a license. Accidents do happen, but this was no accident unless he has a sleeping disorder.

[Gene $immons]

Well, I'm glad I drove by. Who knows how long the water would have been kept on.

This was today (Sunday). Nice day here, many people out taking walks. Someone surely had to see the big mess in the street, and the smell...next to his rig. I wonder if anyone will call it in. I hate to cause any problems, but this kind of irked me. If a child got into that stuff...who knows. 24D is nasty.

[Johnson LCO]

I think it is your civic obligation to report him. That mess needs to be cleaned up AT HIS EXPENSE. Those chemicals are dangerous and should be handled carefully. I know you probably dont want to rock the boat because he is your neighbor but he has crossed the line. Just think of all the dmge that those chemicals can cause and od the right thing.

[jaybird24]

Keep an eye out for three headed mice and other assorted strange happenings over the next few years.

[LushGreenLawn]

Did he just leave all that mess on the street or did he try to get at least what he could with some absorbant material?

It may have been a spill that was to big for his cleanup kit, but he could have at least gotten what he could, and even made a quick trip to the hardware store for some oil dry and some bleach.

Accidents happen, no matter the circumstances. But at least try to fix the mistake.

[mngrassguy]

I would have stood there and made him call it in. You are now an accessory and could lose your license also.

[Gardens55]

I think it is your civic obligation to report him. That mess needs to be cleaned up AT HIS EXPENSE. Those chemicals are dangerous and should be handled carefully. I know you probably dont want to rock the boat because he is your neighbor but he has crossed the line. Just think of all the dmge that those chemicals can cause and od the right thing.

I agree with this. It's not nice to report people but this can't be allowed to happen again.

[LushGreenLawn]

I was told by my AG inspector that if you can clean it up, and it did not get into the storm drain, then you don't have to call it in. I don't know the circumstances, and how big the spill actually was, but if it had not gotten into the storm drain and had not left the street into peoples lawns, I would have ran to the closest hardware store, gotten enough oil dry to cleanup, and disinfected the area with Activated Charcoal or Bleach.

If it was truly an excessive amount for me to clean up by myself, I would have called the Ag department for help and took my lumps.

[cgaengineer]

Dont report him, we all make mistakes.

[Gene $immons]

I would have stood there and made him call it in. You are now an accessory and could lose your license also.

yeah, whatever...

[treegal1]

and aren't there any laws about filling, we have to put all trucks to be loaded in a spill pad, and we are all organic.just worm casts and fish oil.and we need to have 2X the gallon capacity in spill pads on the truck at all times.

this is shameful. wheres the responsibility and honor???

[LushGreenLawn]

In Delaware it is legal to fill in your Driveway. Not Every State needs a spill pad.

[JB1]

ARREST HIM and give him the death penalty, would that make some of you happy.

[Gene $immons]

Thank you to whoever did some selective editing. It is almost impossible to start a discussion around here, about anything, without having to have a pizzing match with a third of the respondents.

To those who somehow think I'm at fault here...I came home yesterday and saw hazmat, and a firetruck in front of the gentlemans house. The guy called it in himself They sprinkled some charcoal on the street, and made light of the situation. I also spoke with them. WOW, what do you know, I was not labeled as an "accessory".

[cgaengineer]

The solution to pollution is dilution!!

Think about it, even if this fellow uses kitty litter to clean up, that will not even come close to getting what has soaked into the ground or in pavement or has ran into storm drains. The best thing you could do at this point is to add more water and dilute. I understand by studying for my applicators license there are certain ways to clean up chemical spills, but then there is common sense. Common sense tells me that I need to clean up what I can ASAP and dilute the residual that is left behind.

I do not condone the irresponsibility of over filling of a chemical tank, but come on, give the fellow a break we have all made mistakes. Its not like its 1,000,000 gallons of crude in SF Bay.

[mngrassguy]

Jez, all I said was I'd have my friend call it in himself. Here in Mn, if you call a spill in yourself all they do is slap your hands. If someone else calls and you don't....Hate to be you. If you "see" a spill and don't report it, same thing. They also consider ANY granular in the street or drive a spill.

[cgaengineer]

Thank you to whoever did some selective editing. It is almost impossible to start a discussion around here, about anything, without having to have a pizzing match with a third of the respondents.

To those who somehow think I'm at fault here...I came home yesterday and saw hazmat, and a firetruck in front of the gentlemans house. The guy called it in himself They sprinkled some charcoal on the street, and made light of the situation. I also spoke with them. WOW, what do you know, I was not labeled as an "accessory".

I wonder what that cost him? Glad they got it cleaned up.

[landscaper22]

Thank you to whoever did some selective editing. It is almost impossible to start a discussion around here, about anything, without having to have a pizzing match with a third of the respondents.

You've got that right! You can't ask any question without being ripped apart. About a third of the people beat you up about anything you ask. Another third of the people are these 100% positive 100% of the time people that seem to think meditation in the morning makes all the troubles go away. You know the ones....No customer can be a pita, no employee can be a bad worker. It's all our fault. We ask to much of our customers and employees. Some like to kiss azz all the time. :dizzy:
To the other one-third on this site, thanks for your input, and thanks for keeping things realistic and practical. :)

[JB1]

You've got that right! You can't ask any question without being ripped apart. About a third of the people beat you up about anything you ask. Another third of the people are these 100% positive 100% of the time people that seem to think meditation in the morning makes all the troubles go away. You know the ones....No customer can be a pita, no employee can be a bad worker. It's all our fault. We ask to much of our customers and employees. Some like to kiss azz all the time. :dizzy:
To the other one-third on this site, thanks for your input, and thanks for keeping things realistic and practical. :)



Its the boy scout syndrome.

[Johnson LCO]

I dont understand. Do you guys think it should not have been reported by Gene? With that logic, why even have regulations at all? Lets all just spray chemicals like water with no thought of the consequences. Gene is in no way an acessory if he doesnt report it, but I couldnt sleep at night knowing those chemicals are spreading everywhere.

[cgaengineer]

I dont understand. Do you guys think it should not have been reported by Gene? With that logic, why even have regulations at all? Lets all just spray chemicals like water with no thought of the consequences. Gene is in no way an acessory if he doesnt report it, but I couldnt sleep at night knowing those chemicals are spreading everywhere.

I wouldn't have reported it is all I am saying. He is licensed, he knows what he has to do...we don't need more policing...let people make their own choices and deal with consequences. If he doesn't report and gets caught its his A$$ not mine or yours.

Lets not stop at reporting pesticide violations, lets start reporting other lawn care companies who don't make complete stops at stop signs, pass under a red light that just switched from yellow, speeding, and worn tires

[LushGreenLawn]

Diluting it would not have been the right thing to do. You are just washing it straight down to the water supply. The longer it hangs around near the top layer of soil, the better the chance micro-organisms are going to help break it down.

They did the right think by putting activated charcoal on it. It nutrilizes the chemical before it ends up in the water supply.

[Gardens55]

Lets not stop at reporting pesticide violations, lets start reporting other lawn care companies who don't make complete stops at stop signs, pass under a red light that just switched from yellow, speeding, and worn tires

That's different though. Anyone could spot that and it's not really a trade issue. You don't want somebody spilling stuff everywhere giving the trade a bad name.