Reducing use of pesticides

In order to control weeds in grassland, chemical products are used. Unfortunately, these products are not only hazardous to weed, but also to the employees exposed to it. Technological innovations enable more precise projection, which also results in a considerable reduction of exposure for employees.

Points of exposure

When projecting pesticides on grasslands, employees are being exposed to the chemicals in various stages. Especially when filling the machines, we are talking about highly concentrated and massive volumes. Exposure is being reduced by using personal protection. At this moment, there is no alternative solution for control of this kind of weed.

Solutions

An advanced field sprayer with a special camera system enables targeted projection. The cameras recognise the weed and activate individual nozzles, which results in targeted application of the pesticides. The air in the cabin is being filtered. The field sprayer system is still being tested and is not available on the market yet.

Result

Due to this new technique, about 80% less of the entire grassland is being projected. This has a direct relation to the amount of pesticides that is needed. As a result, the machine does not need to be refilled as often and employees are less exposed to the chemicals. When filling the machine with the chemicals, personal protection is still being used.

This development is also important for protection of the environment. Other plants are being preserved and less chemicals are entering the groundwater. Moreover, the reduction of chemicals used result in a serious cost reduction. However, the machine does require investments.