Our approach to crop protection

Shell supports several projects to help owners of crop protection chemicals (pesticides) safely remove and dispose of their obsolete stocks.

Shell does not own these obsolete stocks, but as part of our commitment to product stewardship, we actively support projects to find and safely dispose of them often working through the industry body CropLife - opens in a new window or the Food and Agriculture Organisation led Africa Stockpiles Programme - opens in a new window. By the end of 2006, industry records showed there were less than 240 tonnes of Shell-manufactured obsolete stocks remaining, in comparison with global obsolete crop protection stocks from all manufacturers estimated to be in excess of 100,000 tonnes.

Many of the remaining stocks are in remote locations in countries where it is often difficult to operate, so this clean-up work will take more time. In 2005, CropLife supported a clean up project in Ethiopia and – through the Africa Stockpiles Programme – a clean up project in Mali. We remain committed to supporting these organisations in their efforts to deal with these stocks safely. Last year, we also carried out a project to remove obsolete stocks of Shell-manufactured crop protection chemicals in Togo.

Shell sites

We have assessed and are managing environmental conditions at all sites where Shell handled these products.  Shell has a structured programme in place to assess and manage environmental impacts, using a risk-based approach in line with international best practice.

In Brazil, for example, we are working with the authorities at Paulinia, a former chemicals plant, and Vila Carioca (Ipiranga district), a fuel depot and former chemicals plant, to take corrective action to deal with environmental impacts from former operations there.