 DEAS 1166 :2023  
ICS 65.080  
© EA C 2023                                                                                                                          First Edition 2023   
 
DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  
Code of Practice for Handling , Storage and Disposal  of Bagged 
Fertilizer s or Fertilizer supplement s 
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
   
 DEAS 1166 :2023  
ii © EAC  2023  – All rights reserved  
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Violators m ay be persecuted  DEAS 1166 :2023  
© EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  iii 
 Foreword  
Development of the East African Standards has been necessitated by the need for harmonizing requirements 
governing quality of products and services in the East African Community. It is envisaged that through 
harmonized standardiza tion, trade barriers that are encountered when goods and services are exchanged 
within the Community will be removed.  
In order to achieve this objective, the Community established an East African Standards Committee mandated 
to develop and issue East Afri can Standards.   
The Committee is composed of representatives of the National Standards Bodies in Partner States, together 
with the representatives from the private sectors and consumer organizations. Draft East African Standards 
are circulated to stakehold ers through the National Standards Bodies in the Partner States. The comments 
received are discussed and incorporated before finalization of standards, in accordance with the procedures 
of the Community.  
East African Standards are subject to review, to kee p pace with technological advances. Users of the East 
African Standards are therefore expected to ensure that they always have the latest versions of the standards 
they are implementing .  
The committee responsible for this document is Technical Committee E ASC/TC 020, Agriculture and 
agrochemicals.  
 DRAFT EAST  AFRICAN STANDARD  DEAS 1166 :2023  
 
© EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  1 
 Code of Practice for Handling , Storage  and Disposal  of Bagged 
Fertilizer s or Fertilizer supplements  
1 Scope  
This draft East African  standard lays down recommended  code of practice for handling, storage and 
disposa l of fertilizers or fertilizer supplements packed in bags, with or without a plastics liner.  
2 Normative reference  
The following referenced standards are indispensable for the application of this standard. For dated 
references, only the edition cited applies . For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced 
document (including any amendments) applies.  
ISO 8 157, Fertilizers soil conditioners and beneficial substances —Vocabulary  
ISO 14820 -1, Fertilizers and liming materials - Sampling and sample pr eparation - Part 1: Sampling  
 
3 Terms and Definitions  
For the purpose of this standard, the terms and definitions given in ISO 8157  and the following apply;  
3.1 user  
farmers, growers, application contractors and all those organizations or individuals responsible  for the 
end-use of Fertilizer.  
3.2 supplier  
 importers, distributors, merchants, haulers or other organizations or individuals who store or supply the 
user with fertilizer  
3.3 manufacturer  
any organizations or individuals who manufacture, mix or blend solid ferti lizers for use in agriculture or 
horticulture, whether for their own use or for use by others.  
3.4 fertilizer warehouse  
characteristic building for storing large quantities of fertilizers  
3.5 bagged fertilizer  
fertilizers packed in bags  
3.6 corrosive fertilizers  
fertilizers which have effect of gradual destruction of materials especially when in contact with water  
 
  
2 © EAC  2023  – All rights reserved  
 3.7 hazardous fertilizers  
fertilizers that are likely to cause harm to human, plant or animal life on decomposition, through corrosion 
or release of volatile substances.  
3.8 damaged bag  
one from which the contents are bleeding, contaminated, mixed, spoiled / burnt , wet, stained by oil, or the 
contents of which have either caked or are in flowing condition.  
3.9 dunnage  
base on which bags of fertilizers are stacked so th at they are not in direct contact with the floor.  
3.10 caking  
formation of a coherent mass from a fertilizer material  
3.11 critical Relative Humidity  
relative humidity of the atmosphere at which the material begins to absorb moisture from the atmosphere 
and below wh ich it will not absorb atmospheric moisture.  
3.12 hygroscopic fertilizers   
fertilizers with moisture absorption property under specific conditions of humidity and temperature.  
 
4 Warehouse Structure  
4.1 Fertilizer warehouse site (General)  
a) The fertilizer warehouse sha ll be located away from homes, highly populated areas, drinking water 
sources and areas liable to flooding.  
b) The fertilizer warehouse shall be located in a clean and tidy site with arrangements provided for 
destruction and/or disposal of waste.  
c) The site sha ll have no evidence of rodent activity and will have a good drainage and flood water 
disposal.  
d) The site shall be installed with gadgets/equipments to monitor temperature and humidity of the 
warehouse  
 
 
4.2 Permanent Warehouse  
a) fertilizer storage structures shou ld be made of concrete, tile or steel  
b) The construction of the warehouse or storage go -down shall be climatically suitable and damp -proof. 
In go -downs having low plinth, mud walls and galvani zed iron sheet roofs or  cement sheets, the 
effects of variation in  temperature and humidity of atmosphere are pronounced  
c) go-downs in which fertilizers are stored should be such that it protects the fertilizer from atmospheric 
deterioration effects   
© EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  3 
 d) warehouses, should, be well -ventilated and situated away from places of fi re hazards. it should be 
noted that ammonium nitrate  fertilizers when stored in an enclosed space without ventilation may give 
rise to hazards of explosion and fire if exposed to carbonaceous material  
e) Ventilators are also necessary in go -downs used for sto ring fertilizers that give out volatile substances 
on storage  
f) Where the level of water table is high or there is a chance of local flooding, a plinth of 1m high shall be 
used. Decision on plinth height may be made keeping in view the convenience of loading  and 
unloading of bags into tracks or railways wagons  
g) The go -downs should have concrete flooring. Where it is intended to store fertilizers having a 
corrosive action on concrete, it is necessary to provide a protective coating to the floor with sodium 
silicate, or linseed oil based coating, or bitumen or some other protective material. However, these 
protective coatings can be substituted by appropriate dunnage  
h) It is desirable that the floors and walls up to a height of 0.5m are coated with bitumen in case some of 
the fertilizer packed in bags bleeds out during handling and storage, which may damage the floor and 
adjacent portions of walls  
 
4.3 Temporary Warehouse  
The provisions stated for permanent warehouse may not always be feasible, in that case a temporary  
warehouse is to be utilized. However, it is essential that this should have minimum facilities like doors and 
ventilators and freedom from seepages of water on to the floor and walls. Adequate dunnage stated in 4.4 
is also essential.  
4.4 Ante -Room and Compart mentalization  
When it is intended to store hygroscopic fertilizers and where it is also required to open the godown 
frequently, it is necessary to protect the hygroscopic fertilizers from the atmosphere when the godown is 
opened for any purpose. With this objective, an ante -room should be provided. If this is not possible, the 
godown should be so designed as to provide a series of compartments, of suitable size. Another 
alternative to ante -room is to provide two successive doors for entering the godown.  
4.5 Doors and Ventilators  
The godowns/warehouse may be provided with doors and ventilators, if required, which can be closed 
airtight whenever so desired. For storage of large quantities of hygroscopic fertilizers over prolonged 
periods, storage structures with dehumidification facilities will be ideal.  
 
5 Storage  of fertilizer  
5.1 Storage of Fertilizers -General  
Care and attention shall be given to the type of the fertilizer to be stored in the warehouse that is, 
consideration shall be made as to whether  the fertilizer  is hygroscopic, corrosive, gives out volatile 
substances, explosive or none of these properties   
4 © EAC  2023  – All rights reserved  
 5.2 Storage of Hazardous fertilizers  
a) Fertilizer containing nitrate -nitrogen when stored at high temperatures are capable of 
decomposition with explosion and fire.  
b) It shall, therefore, be ensured that these fertilizers are stored on a clean floor and a well -ventilated 
structure and in readily accessible space.  
c) The hazardous fertilizers shall be stored in a separate warehouse from other fertilizers or when it 
is not  possible to do so, store them in a separate area (stored separately) so that they shall 
reasonably be away from any stored materials and heat sources.  
d) Materials such as bags when allowed to dry after impregnation with nitrate -nitrogen based 
fertilizers m ay quickly ignite if they are exposed to elevated temperatures and shall be destroyed 
or thoroughly washed.  
e) Provision of Fire Fighting equipment’s — Although fertilizer stocks by themselves are not posing 
fire hazard but the nitrate containing fertilizers when stored with carbonaceous material may also 
lead to fire hazards.  
f) In regard to firefighting methods in fertilizer godown it is advised to use dry powder type 
firefighting extinguishers and fire buckets with dust. Use of water will damage the stocks an d 
hence may be avoided.  
 
6 Mode of Stacking  
6.1 All bags in a stack should be of uniform size and weight. The contents should be of the same grade or 
variety. An ideal stack when built is stable, perfectly cuboid in shape, having all bags in one plane, 
with no f ace of the stack bulging outward or inward at any point.  
 
6.2 Damaged Bags — As soon as the bags are received for storage, the damaged bags shall be sorted 
out from the sound bags and kept separately. For this purpose, a damaged bag shall be one from 
which th e contents are bleeding or which is wet or stained by oil, or the contents of which have either 
caked or are in a flowing condition.  
 
6.3 Haulage Alleyway — In arranging stacks of the fertilizer bags, a haulage alleyway of 1 m shall be 
provided.  
 
6.4 Dunnage  
Proper dunnage is essential to protect the packed fertilizer from damage due to moisture and also to 
protect the floor of the godown from damage by fertilizer. In the absence of dunnage, the bottom 
layers of bags are subjected to moisture due to seepage from  floor. Even if the floors are given damp -
proofing treatment, some water can condense on the floor from the atmosphere on account of the 
diurnal variation in temperatures.  
  
© EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  5 
 6.4.1  An ideal dunnage is made from wooden pallets since it keeps the bags 10 cm above th e floor 
level and also enables free circulation of air all -round the stack. The pallets of desired 
dimensions can be used . A layer of matting either above or below the pallet is given so that the 
fertilizer droppings do not come in direct contact with the floor and could be collected 
appropriately for disposal. Dunnage can also be made of concrete bars with a protective coating 
of bitumen, so arranged that they provide the necessary support to the bags while leaving enough 
gap between them and the floor.  
 
 
6.4.2    An alternative dunnage consists of a sheet of plastics (polyethylene, PVC, etc.) of thickness 300 
gauge sandwiched between two layers of hessian 305 to 427 g/m2. The hessian -polythene 
laminate is prepared to the size of the godown in a single piece with minimum number of joints.  
 
6.4.3    Where it is not found possible to adopt any of the dunnage given in 6.4.1 and 6.4.2, a dunnage of 
some locally available material (bamboo matting, paddy husk, paddy straw, etc) can be adopted . 
With these materials, one layer sh ould be spread on the floor, then it should be overlaid with a 
sheet of plastics material of 300 -gauge thickness and on it one more layer of the locally available 
material should be spread. It may however be noted that organic material like straw and paddy  
husk are dangerous if nitrate -containing fertilizers are stored; they may also lead to insect 
infestation. For nitrate -containing fertilizers, the wooden pallet is recommended for use and 
should be covered with 300 -gauge polyethylene sheets.  
 
6.5 Distance of  stack from walls and Distance Between Stacks — Both these distances should not be 
less than 0.6 m.  
 
6.6 Size of Stacks  
 
Before the fertilizer stocks are received, a stack plan of the godown should be prepared, dividing the 
floor area into uniformly sized an d serially numbered rectangular bases to build stacks, lines, 5 cm 
thick, in white or black paint will serve to mark the boundary of the stack. The size of the stack is 
matter of convenience depending upon the area of the godown.  
 
6.7 Method of Stacking  
a) Prop er stacking of fertilizer bags is necessary for its safe storage Stacking is an art and 
requires great care to be taken to build suitable stacks.  
b) A neat and solid stacking helps in proper accounting and preservation besides ensuring 
stability of the bags during storage.  
c) An ideal stack when complete, shall be stable and perfectly cuboid in shape having all bags in 
one plane with no face of the stack bulging outward or inward at any point.   
6 © EAC  2023  – All rights reserved  
 d) The stitched end of the bags shall always be kept inside the stack to avoid spillage on the 
floor due to bursting of bags.  
 
The stack shall be constructed in any of the following manners:  
 
I. Block Stacking  
In block stacking, each layer has lengthwise and breadthwise bags alternating to form the block. In any two 
adjacent  layers, this system of lengthwise and breadthwise tiers will be reversed. This type of stacking helps 
in having a neat and countable stack even after issuing out a portion of the stocks  
 
II. Cross Stacking  
In cross stacking, bags, are laid in complete length wise or breadthwise tiers in a herniate layers 
systematically. This is advantageous for long term storage because of marked stability of stacks  
 
6.7.1  Arrangement of Bags in Stack  
 
It should be kept in view that the mouth of all bags should be inside the stack a nd not be 
periphery. Different fertilizers shall be kept in separate stacks. Stack cards indicating the name of 
the fertilizer, date of receipt and issue when made, number of bags in the stack and other relevant 
information should be tagged to each stack a t a convenient height. Further each stack shall be 
provided with a receptacle capable of being closed in which the spilling’s and droppings may be 
collected every day and disposed of suitably.  
 
6.8 Height of Stacks  
For purposes of height of stack, fertilizers  may be divided into two broad categories. Fertilizers that 
are hygroscopic or corrosive or explosive shall be stacked to a height of 4 m while fertilizers other 
than those falling in this category shall be stacked to a height of 5 m. In all cases adequate  ventilation 
should be allowed, 0.6m distance between the stacks height and the roof.  
 
7 Classification of fertilizers based on their characteristics shall be as follows;  
i. Hygroscopic, Corrosive and Explosive fertilizers  
a) Ammonium Nitrate  
b) Calcium ammonium nitr ate 
c) Potassium nitrate  
d) Single Superphosphate  
e) Triple superphosphate  
f) Urea   
© EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  7 
 g) Ammonium sulphate nitrate  
h) Ammonium phosphate sulphate  
ii. Non-explosive, non -hygroscopic and/or non -corrosive fertilizers  
a) Ammonium sulphate  
b) Ammonium chloride  
c) Bone -meal  
d) Diammonium phosphate  
e) Dicalcium phosphate  
f) NPK 
g) Monoammonium phosphate  
h) Potassium chloride  
i) Potassium sulphate  
j) Rock phosphate (ground)  
 
8 Aeration of godowns/Warehouse  
a) During periods of high humidity, the ventilators and doors of the godown shall be kept closed.  
b) The stacks of hygros copic fertilizers may also be covered with polythene sheets or tarpaulins or 
gunny sheets during such periods.  
c) But when the humidity of the atmosphere is not high, the doors and ventilators should be kept open 
and free aeration of the godown should be all owed , Since the water absorption capacity of fertilizers 
vary, due considerations should be given to the critical relative humidity of the fertilizers.  
 
The following table indicates the critical relative humidity of some of the fertilizers;  
Table 1: Crit ical relative humidity of the fertilizers  
Critical relative humidity (CRH)  
Fertilizer  CRH at 30 0C 
Potassium sulphate  96.6 
Single Super Phosphate  94.0 
Triple super phosphate  93.6 
Diammonium phosphate  84.0 
Muriate of potash  84.0 
Monoammonium phosphat e 82.5  
8 © EAC  2023  – All rights reserved  
 Ammonium sulphate  79.2 
Urea  75.2 
Ammonium chloride  72.2 
NPK 70.0 
Ammonium nitrate  59.4 
Calcium ammonium nitrate  55.6 
Calcium nitrate  46.7 
 
8.1 All stocks in a warehouse should be frequently inspected for leakages, caking of powders, 
pulverizati on of granules, change in colour due to oxidation, dampness of packages and corrosion or 
deterioration of bags or bins. All leakages should be treated as being hazardous.  
8.2 Always strictly follow the rule “First -in First -out” this means new stocks should be moved to the rear  
 
9 Handling Recommendations  
9.1 Precautions with hazardous fertilizers  
Fertilizers based on ammonium nitrate may decompose slowly at temperature above 130 0C under the 
influence of fire or heat. In the case of some of these fertilizers, the de composition stops when the heating 
stops, but in the case of some others, a slow decomposition reaction may propagate throughout the mass 
of fertilizer and temperatures between 500C and 500°C may result (self -sustaining decomposition). This 
decomposition i s accompanied with evolution of dense, yellowish -brown, pungent, toxic fumes. Further, if 
as a result of failure to observe these precautions, a zone of show decomposition develops, emergency 
action laid down in clause 10 shall be taken immediately.  
9.2 Stora ge warehouses, trucks and rail cars shall be carefully cleaned before receiving the fertilizer. Coal 
dust, Sulphur, oil other combustible materials, acids and chemicals shall be kept away from the 
fertilizer.  
 
9.3 In places where fertilizers are stored or hand led, smoking and the use of fire and naked flames shall 
be forbidden. A prominent board to this effect shall be displayed at every warehouse.  
 
9.4 Care shall be taken not to expose fertilizers to external sources of heat. For example, the fertilizers 
shall not  come into contact with steam pipes (even though insulated), heated oil tanks, hot bulkheads, 
electric cables, electric motors or lighting equipment, whether fixed or with trailing leads. Fertilizers 
shall not be exposed to frictional heat from the operati on of mechanical equipment (for example 
conveyors).  
 
9.5 Due caution shall be taken in using vehicles powered by petrol or diesel oil, particularly in regard to 
spillages of the fuel.  
  
© EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  9 
 9.6 In circumstances in which work may generate heat (for example, cutting, wel ding, brazing) the 
fertilizers shall either be removed or effectively be protected from heat (for example covering with 
damp sheets of canvas). Hot welding debris shall not fall into the fertilizers. Further, such work shall 
be carried out only under conti nuous expert supervision. After completion of the work, the work -place 
and its surroundings shall be kept under observation for several hours for development of fire or slow 
decomposition.  
 
9.7 Caked masses shall be broken up by mechanical means only. The use  of explosives in the stores 
shall be forbidden.  
 
 
9.8 Use of Hooks should be avoided as this damages bags as well as the fertilizers and is harmful to the 
environment.  
 
9.9 Personnel working in the fertilizer warehouse should be given protective hand gloves, re spirators and 
gum boots. The personnel should also be enlightened on the relevant safety precautions in the 
warehouse and the necessary emergency action to be taken in the event of an accident including 
those in clause 10.  
 
10 Emergency Action  
a. If the zone of  decomposition is still small and easily accessible, an attempt may be made to 
remove it from the main body of the fertilizer by the use of picks and shovels, and to cool it 
down by localized quenching with water.  
 
b. When it is impossible to remove the zone of decomposition, the fertilizer involved shall be 
soaked as rapidly as possible with a large quantity of water directed through high pressure 
jets against the center of decomposition. To fight the decomposition by other means (for 
example, foam, carbon di oxide, steam, covering with sand or fertilizer) is useless, and may 
even encourage the decomposition.  
 
c. If there is only a light evolution of fumes, the breathing apparatus used may be such as will 
give protection against nitrous gases. If fume evolution is  heavy, independent breathing 
apparatus (for example, compressed air masks) shall be employed. Special care shall be 
taken when entering a fertilizer warehouse.  
 
 
 
 
 
  
10 © EAC  2023  – All rights reserved  
 11 Disposal and recycling of fertilizer and waste Packaging  
Suppliers of big consignments mo re than 50 tons of packaging per year have a recovery obligation under 
the provisions of the Pollutants Producer Responsibility to meet disposal Regulations prevailing under 
UNEP/NEMC Act applies for plastic materials . However, Farmers, who are excluded fr om this 
requirement, should ensure that all waste packaging is legally disposed of and not burnt. Use should be 
made of plastics recovery schemes or commercial waste disposal  
11.1 Disposal and Recycling of Fertilizer  
 
 Look for the appropriate label/symbols wh en recycling, Fertilizers with pesticides that are labeled 
with words like pre -emergent, weed preventer, weed and feed, insect control, or disease control 
should be disposed of as hazardous waste.  
 Fertilizer without pesticides that contains only plant nut rients, take note on the nominal 
composition e.g.  Contains N P K etc, these don’t require special disposal instructions. If 
phosphorus fertilizer use is not restricted in by local laws or does not have some adverse 
ecological implications give or sell the  fertilizer to someone who will use effectively.  
 
11.2 Disposal and recycling of fertilizer waste packaging  
Empty bags may be disposed of as non -hazardous material or returned for recycling. However, these 
could still bear traces of residues which are considere d non -hazardous. Therefore, the following 
guidelines for recycling of packaging materials need to be considered:  
 Minimize the amount of waste packaging by using a pack size appropriate to the quantity of 
product required.  
 Do not reuse empty packaging (bags ) for refilling with fertilizer.   
 Fully empty out powder packaging.  
 Segregate the emptied packaging material according to its type.  
 Look for the appropriate symbols when recycling, as some plastics are considered relatively 
single use plastics, as they can  release antimony and phthalates to the environment:  
 
  
 2: HDPE: High -Density Polyethylene   
HDPE is slightly waxy and semi -rigid. It does not crack. It floats in water.  
 
 4: LDPE: Low -Density Polyethylene   
LDPE is used in flexible bags. Recycled LDPE  is often used to make grocery bags.   
 
 5: PP: Polypropylene   
PP stretches into filaments and emits a chemical smell when burned.  
  
© EAC 2023  – All rights reserved  11 
 Bibliography  
 
 IS 5985 , Code of Practice for Handling and Storage of bagged fertilizers  
 ZS 666, Code of Practice for Handli ng and Storage of bagged and bulk fertilizers  
 
 WD TC020 -05-2023    
 
© EAC 2022  – All rights reserved  
  
  