General Standards/CoreExam Prep

Prepared by Michelle Atkinson, Environmental Horticulture AgentUF/IFAS Manatee County

Disclaimer

The use of trade names in this presentation is solely for the purpose of providing specific information. UF/IFAS does not guarantee or warranty the products named, and references to them in this publication does not signify our approval to the exclusion of other products of suitable composition.

The Law and Pesticide Application

Principles of Pesticides and Pest Control

Understanding Pesticide Labeling

Pesticide Formulations

Pesticides and the Environment

Personal Safety & Personal Protective Equipment

Transportation, Storage and Security, and Disposal of Pesticide Wastes

Overview

Private Applicator

• Definition: applies or supervises application of Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs) for the purpose of producing an agricultural commodity on his /her property.

• Exams

• CORE

• Private

• Cost: $100 valid for 4 years

CEUS

• 4 CORE & 4 Private

• CEUs available• Classes

• Online

RecertificationRe-take examsCEUs continuing education units

Pesticide Law

THE LABEL IS THE LAW

The following statement will appear on every pesticide label:

“It is a violation of Federal law to use this product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling.”

FIFRA Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for pesticide registration

• Re-registration to ensure that older chemistries meet current health and safety standards

• Can stop sale of use of any pesticide

Florida Pesticide Law

Three laws govern pesticide applicator licensing in Florida:

Chapter 338 – Public Health/ Mosquito Control

Chapter 482 – Pest Control Operators & Structural

Chapter 487 – Restricted Use Pesticides (RUPs)

License Types• Private Applicator - applies restricted pesticides to ag

commodities on his establishment - CANNOT apply to another operation on a for-hire basis

• Commercial – For hire, contractor

• Public Applicator – Government employees

Classification Of Pesticides

• There are two classifications of pesticides under FIFRA

• Unclassified

• Restricted Use (RUPs)

• If it could cause harm to humans or to the environment unless it is applied by trained applicators

• Can only be purchased and used by certified applicators• Often, different formulations of the same active ingredient

have different classifications

Principles of Pesticides and Pest Control

Four Main Pest Categories

• Insects

• Disease

• Vertebrate

• Weeds

Cultural

Physical - Mechanical

Biological

Chemical

Plant Selection for Site &

Pest Resistance, Sanitation,

Watering/Pruning/Fertilizing,

Diversity

Exclusion, Physical removal:

Insects - traps, barriers, wash

Weeds - mulch, till, hoe, pull

Diseases - prune

Microbial: products are living organism

bacteria, fungi, nematode & virus

Biological: Conservation and augmentation

of parasites, predators, & pathogens

Biochemical: hormones, enzymes,

pheromones, insect growth regulators (IGRs)

Products of Microbes: Bt, abamectin, spinosad

Hard Chemical: Direct toxins, kill on contact, by ingestion or

fumigation, broad-spectrum – carbamates, organophosphates

Softer on environment : soaps, oils, diatomaceous earth,

neem

ToxicityReactive

Proactive

Integrated Pest Management (IMP) for Pests

Biological control

Lady beetle larva

Green lacewing larva

Big-eyed bug

Biological Control • Relies on natural mechanisms to control pests like insects, mites,

fungi or weeds

• Often directed at pests that are not native to a geographical area

• Laws have been enacted that control bringing natural enemies into the U.S.

• Biological control does NOT work well with pesticides that kill the control agent

Mechanical Control

• Traps

• Screens

• Barriers

Using a plow to control weeds is a type of mechanical control called

Cultivation

Cultural Control• Crop rotation

• Variety Selection

• Timing of planting and harvesting

• Water and fertilizer management

• Burning

• Trap crops Squash as a trap crop for Silverleaf Whiteflies on

tomatoes

Genetic Control or Host ResistancePlants and animals bred or selected to resist specific pest problems

Pesticides- a large part of pest management programs

Mode of Action- the way in which a pesticide works

Chemical Control

Sometimes chemical methods may be your only option

Contact verses Systemic Pesticides

• Contact – kills on contact

• Systemic – taken into blood/sap and transported to other parts

Types of Chemical Control

Chemical Control Terms

• Persistent – remains active (effective) for a period of time after application (DDT, Chlordane)

• Non-persistent – breaks down quickly after it has been applied (Orthene)

• Non-selective – kill a wide variety of pests (fumigants)

• Selective – kill only certain species or affect only a certain development stage (herbicides for broadleafs or ovicides)

Chemical Control Terms

Eradication is not always possible, & can be expensive, so

Suppression became an acceptable practice

• Suppression means “reducing the number of pests to a

level where the harm they cause is acceptable or tolerable”

The last thing a

bug ever sees

Regulatory Control

Used to control pests that seriously endanger public health or are likely to cause widespread damage to agricultural crops, animals, forests, or ornamental plants

• Quarantine: a process designed to prevent entry of pests into pest free areas

• Eradication: necessary in some regulatory situations and may be achieved by intensive area-wide spray programs and intensive monitoring

• Still in place today

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

The 5 major steps in IPM are:1. Pest ID2. Monitoring the population3. Developing a goal4. Putting IPM to work5. Evaluating the result

Identify pests properly

Monitor and scout pests

Determine action

guidelines

Prevent pest problems

Use different IPM practices

together

The FIRST Step is Always…

Identify

the

Pest (accurately)

Deciding if Control is Necessary

• Action Threshold: the pest level at which some level of action should be taken. Based on aesthetic, health or economics

• Economic Threshold: type of action threshold where economic losses of pest damage are greater than the cost of control

Pest Control Failures?

• Incorrect pest ID wrong pesticide

• Pesticide applied at life stage that was not susceptible

• Pest resistance• Using one pesticide in the same situation, against the

same pest, repeatedly• Rotating chemical classes of pesticides may reduce

development of pest resistance• Using pesticides with multiple sites of toxicity in an

organism may reduce resistance

Evaluate the Results

Understanding the Pesticide Label

Pesticide Labeling

• The label is the information printed on or attached to the containerEVERY pesticide label will bear this statement: KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN

• Labeling includes the label plus all other information you receive from the manufacturer when you buy it

Signal Words indicate how acutely toxic the active ingredient is by ingestion

• Caution – Slightly toxic

• Warning – Moderately toxic

• Danger – Highly toxic

Must have both Danger signal word and skull & crossbones symbol if likely to cause acute illness through swallowing, skin absorption or breathing in dusts or vapors.

Pesticide Labeling

• Brand name or Trade name• PendiPro

• Common Name• Pendimethalin

• Chemical Name• N-(1-ethylpropyl)-3,4-dimethyl-

2,6-dinitrobenzenamine

Pesticide Labeling

Environmental Information/Hazards

• Potential hazards

• Precautions needed to prevent injury or damage to non-target organisms or the environment

• Example Statements:

• “This product is highly toxic to honeybees”

• “This product is extremely toxic to fish and aquatic invertebrates”

• “Do not apply where runoff is likely to occur”

• “This product poses a threat to groundwater”Global Harmonized System

• A pesticide may only be used on the plants, animals or sites on the label

• It is illegal to apply a pesticide to a site not listed on the label

• Pesticides can be combined unless the unless the label directs not to

Pesticide Labeling

Safety Data Sheets SDS

• Required by OSHA for any chemical determined to be hazardous

• Provides chemical handlers with proper procedures for handling and working with the chemical

• There should be a copy of each product’s SDS that a business uses on file

Pesticide Labeling

Pesticide Formulations

The mixture of active and inert ingredients• The active ingredient is the part of the formulation that

controls the target pest• Inerts make the product easier to handle, measure, apply, etc.• Solvents dissolve the pesticide’s active ingredient

Pesticide Formulations

Adjuvants:

• Substances used with pesticides to enhance performance (ex. Surfactants, spreaders, stickers: cause the pesticide to better adhere to foliage)

• They do not possess pesticidal activity

• Pesticide performance can be altered if the wrong adjuvant is used

Pesticide Formulations

Common Formulation Types

Dry

• D = Dusts – ready to use, applied dry and can easily drift offsite

• Sprayable

• WP – Wettable powders - require the most agitation may be

abrasive to spray equipment

• WG or WDG – Water dispersible granule or dry flowables -are

like wettable powders except instead of being dustlike, they are

formulated as small, easily measured granules

Pesticide Formulations

Pesticide Formulations

Common Formulation Types

Liquid Sprayable

• SL – Soluble Concentrate

• SC – Suspension Concentrate

• EC – Emulsifiable Concentrate

• ME - Microemulsion

• OD – Oil Dispersion

• CS – Microencapsulated Particles

Other Formulations• WSP= water soluble packets; present the LEAST amount of mixing and loading

hazards of the dry formulations

• M = microencapsulated pesticides – solid or liquid particles covered with a plastic coating

• Attractants

• Impregnated products

• Repellents

• Animal systemics

• Pesticide/fertilizer combinations

• Fumigants

Pesticide Formulations

Compatibility

• Combining different pesticides in the same tank is legal and can save time, money etc. as long as the label says it’s okay to mix

• Care must be taken when combing pesticides because combinations can cause: • Phytotoxicity • Changes in physical and chemical components of the mixture• Increase residues

Pesticide Formulations

HOW MUCH A.I. IS THERE?

• If you have a 50 lb bag of an 20% SG, how much A.I. is in the bag?

• 20% = .20• .20 x 50 = 10 lbs A.I

Pesticide Formulations

Pesticides and the Environment

Pesticide Movement

• Drift – off-site pesticide movement through the air, commonly caused by application in windy conditions. One of the primary causes of damage to crops and animals in adjacent areas

• Viscosity: thickness of a substance; resistance to flow

• Pesticides can enter water through:• Drift, leaching, runoff

• Spills, leaks, back-siphoning from mix/load sites (check valve on fill hose)

• Improper disposal of pesticides, rinsates, containers

Pesticide Terms

Pesticide Terms

• Solubility – refers to how easily a pesticide dissolves in a solvent

• Persistence – how fast or slow a pesticide breaks down which relates to how long it remains in the environment. Selecting pesticides that are not persistent and that bind tightly to soil particles is a good way to reduce groundwater contamination. Persistence is measured in terms of half-life.

• Residue – The part of a pesticide that remains in the environment

• Tolerance - The maximum amount of a pesticide that may remain on or in raw agricultural commodities

• Volatility – Evaporating rapidly; turning easily into a gas or vapor

Pesticide Movement

Protecting Groundwater

• Remember that one way to prevent pesticide contamination of a water source while mixing and loading is to maintain an air gap between the water supply hose and the highest water level in the spray tank

• Anti-siphon devices prevent back-siphoning and water source contamination;

• Locate pesticide storage and mix/load sites at least 100 feet from wells, springs, etc.

• Use containment pads while mixing/loading near water sources

Pesticide Movement

Non-Target Organisms & Sensitive Areas

• Sensitive Areas, Non-Target Plants and Animals, Beneficial Insects

• Most injuries occur from the direct effects of acute poisoning.

• Drift is one of the primary causes of damage to non-target plants.

• Granular or pelleted formulations should NOT be used when avoiding injury to birds

• Most livestock poisoning occurs when feed or water is directly contaminated

• Secondary poisoning is a condition in which non-target predators are harmed from feeding on dead animals containing residues

Pesticide Movement

Personal Safety and PPE

Toxicity is the ability of a pesticide to

cause harm

Toxicity x Exposure = Hazard

Toxicity depends on:

• type & amount of active ingredient

• type & amount of inert ingredients

• type and amount of carrier

• type of formulation

Personal Safety

Pesticide Exposure

Oral

• Not washing hands, splashing when pouring

Inhalation

• Prolonged contact in non ventilated room, breathing vapors

Ocular

• Splashing, drift, rubbing eyes

Dermal

(most likely)

• Not washing hands, drift, splashing

Exposure- when a pesticide comes into contact with a

surface or an organism

Personal Safety

Slide courtesy Northeast Green Team Commercial Horticulture Group

When you get conflicting advice about PPE you

should follow the advice of…

The label – lists the

minimum PPE

required

Personal Safety

Personal Safety

Photo credit: FFL GIBMP

Hands and forearms are most likely part of body to receive exposure, especially by handlers

Protecting Yourself• Minimum - long sleeved shirt, long legged pants Coveralls - should fit loosely

to allow more air space between clothing layers or between clothing and skin

• Hand & Foot protection – most exposure is on hands and forearms. For jobs in which arms are mostly raised, tuck sleeves inside gloves and pant legs outside boots. Leather and canvas gloves absorb pesticides

• Head & Neck protection – plastic safari hat with plastic sweatbands, not cloth

• Eye Protection - use of goggles, shields and safety glasses. Labels of concentrates would be most likely to require eyewear

PPE

Maintaining PPE

• Disposable PPE is not meant to be reused

• Even if PPE is reusable, it is smart to replace gloves on a regular basis

• Wash contaminated PPE separate from family laundry with a heavy duty detergent and hot water

PPE

If you are exposed to

pesticides, clean yourself up

FIRST then worry about the

site (After you contain the spill)

• Wash all affected areas with

soap and water

Personal Safety

Exposure • Cholinesterase: an enzyme important to a person’s nervous system

• Cholinesterase can be disrupted by use of orgophosphate or carbamate pesticides

• Often, employers monitor cholinesterase levels in pesticide handlers

• If a person’s cholinesterase levels fall below their baseline, the recommendation is to wait until they build back up to normal levels

Personal Safety

First Aid for Pesticide Poisoning

• First – Stop the source of exposure

• In the eyes – rinse quickly but gently with clean water for 15 minutes or more

• If inhaled, get victim to fresh air and give artificial respiration if needed

• In mouth or swallowed – rinse mouth, but give water and/or induce vomiting only if label instructs

• If on the skin, wash the affected area including hair with water and soap, then rinse well

Personal Safety

Fires• Oils and petroleum pesticides are highly flammable & explosive

• Vapors can be harmful

• Pesticides maybe highly flammable or explosive

• Water runoff from the fire may contain highly toxic chemicals

• Pesticides maybe present in soil and debris following a fire

Personal Safety

DISPOSAL, TRANSPORTATION & STORAGE

Transportation

• Never carry pesticides in the passenger compartment of a vehicle

• Never stack containers higher than the sides of the vehicle

• Secure pesticide containers • All labels and SDS sheets should be

kept in the vehicle

Pesticide Storage

•Keep in original containers, keep securely closed when not in use

•Bags of powders, dusts etc. should be placed into bags or other suitable containers to avoid moisture absorption

•Large drums and heavy bags should be placed on pallets

•Liquids should be stored on metal NOT wooden shelving

•Keep labels legible

•If container is damaged, it’s best to use the pesticide immediately at labeled site and rate

•Do NOT store PPE in the same room as your pesticides

•Most important feature: Keep LOCKED!

Rinse 3 times “triple rinse” then puncture

container and recycle or throw away properly

http://www.stewardshipcommunity.com/

Apply to a site approved on the pesticide labelTriple rinse pesticide containers before disposal. You may drain rinsates from containers into spray tanks to be applied.

Try to apply leftover products to avoid accumulations

Operation Cleansweep1-877-851-5285

Old or outdated products should be handled as hazardous waste

Disposal

Application Equipment

Sprayers: The most common type of equipment used to apply pesticides

• Tanks- agitators constantly mix pesticides in the tank

• Pumps: roller pumps are most common

• Nozzles: classified by spray pattern and droplet size

Granular Applicators

Mixing and loading should be done in a closed system to prevent pesticides from coming in contact with handlers

Calibration

• Sprayers and other equipment must be calibrated before use

• Calibration - the process of measuring and adjusting the amount of pesticide your equipment applies or delivers to a specific area

• 3 factors that affect sprayer application rate• Travel speed

• Nozzle size

• Spray Pressure

Michelle Atkinson, Environmental Horticulture Agent UF/IFAS Manatee County Extension Service

Email: michelleatkinson@ufl.edu