Closed transfer systems: Closing the loop

This blog article was originally published in the April issue of CPM. You can read the original article across pages 40-42 in the digital CPM April issue here or read the online article here.

It's taken three decades from inception to UK industry adoption, but Closed Transfer Systems are here to stay. CPM explores how this technology came to fruition and the benefits it brings to operators, the environment and the industry alike.

Modern sprayers are controlled by computers, guided by satellites, driven by highly skilled and qualified operators, but the method of adding chemicals to the sprayer hasn't changed for more than 60 years – until now.

Health and safety is Frontier's number one priority and underpins its initiative to roll out closed transfer systems (CTSs) adoption across the country, states the firm's crop production technical lead Paul Fogg. "It's estimated that minor injuries cost the industry £190-£200M a year, so anything we can adopt to reduce this will not only benefit agriculture as a whole, but also improve safety for operators.

"The industry has moved away from lugging around 50kg bags of fertiliser to these being delivered in 0.5-1t bags that are mechanically handled, so why is it that farmers and operators still have to heave 5-20-litre ag-chem packs around?"

Almost everything on farm is now mechanically handled, except for pesticides, agrees Richard Garnett of Wisdom Systems. "The industry has realised that it doesn't have to wash out and dispose of product container waste, that operators don't have to risk exposure, and that accidental spills of these inputs can be altogether avoided to protect the environment, all while drastically improving productivity."

Richard started developing CTS equipment after reading an article by HSE inspector, Dr David Left, who identified the key contamination risks of sprayer operations.

Engineering a solution

On farm success

Introducing a CTS to Robert Spencer's operation has improved on-farm safety, helped reduce spill risks and plastic use, and has had a knock-on benefit to productivity. 

Based in Garrington, near Canterbury in Kent, he grows winter wheat, winter and spring barley, oilseed rape, winter and spring beans and spring oats. Robert first adopted CTS technology in 2023 when Frontier offered to supply Wisdom Systems FasTran 850 with 1000-litre IBCs of Stabilan (chlormequat). "I'd been thinking about introducing the system on farm already as I could see the industry moving in this direction, so Frontier's offer seemed a good place to start and be able to experiment with." 

While Frontier supplied the CTS, Robert designed and fitted parts to the sprayers to allow him to connect the system securely to his machines. Running a John Deere 952i trailed sprayer and a 4040i self-propelled sprayer, 15 and eight years old, respectively, and both 30m, he consulted with Richard Garnett on what he required. "I had to modify the design for each sprayer, but once we worked through the process the set up was absolutely brilliant and the operators think it's fantastic." 

Where Stabilan would previously have been delivered in 10 or 15-litre cans which then had to be emptied into the induction hopper, the system now sucks in the chemical from one IBC, measuring the liquid as it does so and the operators don't have to rinse and dispose of the containers. "It's certainly saved on costs not having to dispose of the triple rinse cans," he says. 

Robert also chose to order his manganese and magnesium in IBCs last year so that they could be transferred to the sprayers using the CTS. "The next thing I want to see is glyphosate in IBCs. I'd really like to be able to use it this year but there has to be a competitively priced product to make it economical for us." 

Both Robert and his operators have also noticed the time saved by using the CTS. "The speed at which we can fill the sprayer has really improved, particularly with the Stabilan and trace elements as these tend to be part of tank mixes with four or five different products. But when we move across to single products such as glyphosate, I think we'll see an even greater improvement which will have a knock-on benefit to productivity at a busy time of year." 

Although the system has brought a multitude of benefits to Robert's operation, he sees opportunities for further development too. "I operate across up to five different sites on four different farms, and unless I keep a separate IBC at each, we aren't able to use the CTS everywhere. 

"I currently have IBCs on two sites but I'm having to buy cans for the others. Given the resources, I'd invest in a purpose-built central spray store with stacked IBCs which I could access using a forklift and the sprayers could be brought in to fill up. But very few farms are set up this way, instead the land is spread out and so requires more than one filling site. 

"What we're hoping for is that our CTS will be useable on cans under 20 litres –– that'd be the saviour of the issue. I've seen easy connect cans at shows but as yet I haven't come across one to use on farm. Now we've invested in the technology, we'd really like to see more products available for use with this system."

 "Sprayer operators are trained experts and they're becoming increasingly scarce, so any technology which makes things easier for them can only be a good thing." 

Through the use of CTSs, accuracy is also significantly improved. The FasTran 850 can bring flow accuracy to within +/- 0.5% while dispensing 25 litres/min, explains Nick. "The filling speed means operators can spray 1-2 extra tank loads per day because they don't have to keep returning to the store to pour liquid from multiple cans which would also require triple rinsing. 

"This is a major plus point when we're seeing an increase in workloads or compressed spraying windows but not necessarily seeing sprayers upgraded to cope with these changes. Improving filling time is the only way operators can increase the output of a sprayer without purchasing a larger one." 

A further aspect of improved safety is the prevention of chemicals reaching water courses from point source contamination. ADAS research carried out in 2003 highlighted that pesticidal products were entering water courses via drains on farmyards as a result of everyday spills during dispensing, says Paul. 

"The study highlighted that as much as 40% of the load of pesticides in water could be attributed to the filling area. Although we're now more aware of the risks, accidents still happen." 

According to Nick, an innocent spill or drip can unfortunately result in potential damage to water bodies. "But using CTSs reduces exposure to the point that this risk is significantly reduced. Therefore, their use is a no-brainer from an environmental perspective." 

The industry is also under increasing pressure to cut its consumption of single-use plastics, highlights Paul. "Adopting CTS technology provides an opportunity to cut down in manufacturing and on farm, plus more besides."

Reducing plastics 

 For starters, IBCs use significantly less plastic than small packs, says Nick. "A 600-litre IBC uses 20g of plastic per litre of product, whereas a 10-litre can uses 40g of plastic per litre, and this is based on the IBC being used once. As long as the CTS equipped IBC has the numbered security tag intact and the metal crimped ring over the valve has not been tampered with, Frontier will collect the container. If appropriate, the IBC can be refilled and redistributed back onto farm over a period of time, after which it can be recycled. 

"It's not just operators who perceive this as a great idea, there are numerous businesses in the industry working towards reducing waste and improving operator safety," he adds. "Using IBCs removes wooden pallets and shrink wrap therefore the requirement to manage their disposal too. It's a far more sustainable way of handling products." 

Demonstrating Frontier's commitments under its sustainability strategy 'The Responsible Choice', the business has worked with organisations such as Severn Trent Water to offer the FasTran 850 to farmers within its catchment area, says Nick. 

"More than 500 farms have the FasTran 850 attached to IBCs, which started with Crown MH, but has expanded to Stabilan (chlormequat), Roundup Energy (glyphosate) and a range of nutrient products including manganese and magnesium." 

And whereas IBCs were historically available as 1000-litre units, Frontier has moved towards 600-litre IBCs to make adoption of the technology more flexible for farmers, he explains. "There are IBCs down to 300 litres and we're currently evaluating the feasibility of a 50-litre returnable container." 

With the opening of the Farm Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) in early March came the option to apply for 60% funding toward both the FasTran 850 and the easyconnect systems, says Nick. "Both are highly scored by Defra, meaning there's a greater chance of securing funding for them. I think this demonstrates a desire from policymakers to improve operator safety and support greater efficiency." 

Enquiries for CTSs have increased considerably, and the grant funding demonstrates the industry and regulators are encouraging adoption as soon as possible, says Richard. "CTS has passed the point of being a technology in development, it's fully operational. We're now helping operators to retrofit their sprayers with CTS connections on a daily basis." 

Nick has also observed a plethora of interest since the launch of the FETF and notes that this supersedes owners and operators, extending to water companies and beyond. "Integrating CTSs across the sector is something appealing to the wider industry as a whole," he concludes.

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