Fertilizer products and human health and safety

As is the case with many industrial products, fertilizers, their raw materials and intermediates need to be handled with care . Workers should receive appropriate training and should always wear safety gear. Farmers are also advised to apply common sense when handling fertilizers. Gloves and dust masks are recommended.

Several fertilizer products require special attention above and beyond general principles to protect safety, health and the environment .

Particular care needs to be taken to prevent ammonium-nitrate based products from becoming adulterated, which could pose a safety risk due to combustion. These products can also be used by criminals to produce explosives, so they should always be stored in a secure location.

The presence of micronutrients could catalyze ammonium nitrate decomposition, which may trigger detonation. Therefore, micronutrients should not be mixed with ammonium nitrate, or the ammonium nitrate content of the final product should remain below a critical threshold. In this connection, bulk blenders and farmers must receive clear instructions on safe handling.

In some regions, anhydrous ammonia is applied directly as a fertilizer, and this form requires special storage and handling. Ammonia is highly corrosive, with the main effects restricted to the sites of direct contact with ammonia. Impacts on health would therefore depend greatly on how extensive the exposure is (i.e. to a small spill or a cloud). Ammonia is common in other frequently handled items, for example, cleaning products.

Anhydrous ammonia is subject to criminal misuse as an ingredient in the fabrication of methamphetamine, and care must be taken to prevent the theft of ammonia for such purposes.