Apply Pesticides Safely

Applying Pesticides Safely	Cleaning Up
Equipment	Storing and Disposing
Mixing	First Aid Procedures
Avoiding Damage from Drift	Read the label!
Applying	Safety Tips

Applying Pesticides Safely

Proper use of pesticides is essential for your safety and for that of the environment. And, pesticides must be properly used to be effective.

Review the product label before each use. Be sure you have all the materials necessary for a safe and proper application. Check precautions label sites (e.g., types of plants or areas); and timing requirements such as days to harvest, temperature, and wind speed restrictions. Be sure you can indeed use this pesticide when and where you intend to!

When applying pesticides, wear the protective clothing and use the equipment the label requires. To prevent spillage of chemicals, always check application equipment for leaking hoses or connections and plugged, worn, or dripping nozzles before adding pesticide. Before applying, clear all people, pets, and livestock from the area.

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Equipment

The same sprayer equipment should not be used for both weed control and insect control. No matter how well a tank is rinsed after use of some herbicides, a residue can be left in the tank and in the gaskets, hoses, and parts. If the same tank is then used with an insecticide to spray a plant, it is possible to kill or injure the plant with the herbicide residue. The safest policy is to maintain two sprayers-one for herbicides and another for insecticides and fungicides. Have them clearly labeled according to use. Always clean equipment after each use.

A wide variety of pesticide application equipment is available, including sprayers, dusters, and granular applicators. Many pesticides are available ready-to-use, in containers that also serve as applicators (aerosols, spray bottles, canister dusters). Hose-end application devices are not recommended because they provide only limited control over the application rate, and because of the possibility of contarninating the local water supply through back siphoning.

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Mixing

Read the label carefully. If mixing is required, use the recommended proportions-measure carefully; mix thoroughly. If the label recommends a spreader/sticker, or other additive, use one.

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Avoiding Damage from Drift

Care should be taken to avoid the potential for drift, or off-target movement in the air. To minimize particle drift, apply pesticides when winds are calm. Mornings and evenings are usually good times. If a moderate breeze picks up while you are spraying, stop working. You can reduce spray drift by using low pressure, a large nozzle (large droplets), and anti-drift additives.

Vapor drift occurs when a pesticide evaporates from a sprayed surface. Drifting vapors can travel some distance and cause injury! You can minimize vapor drift by avoiding products with label temperature restrictions if possible, and abiding by the temperature restrictions if you do use a potentially volatile product. And, remember, the air temperature a thermometer records and the temperature of a heated surface like a plant leaf may not be the same. Always be conservative and err on the side of caution when using pesticides with temperature limited use directions. Cool calm days or evenings are the safest times to use products with temperature restrictions.

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Applying

The pesticide should be sprayed uniformly no more than 3 to 4 feet to the side of the person spraying. The spray pattern should be directed so that the person applying the pesticide does not walk through the spray. Spraying should be continuous and uninterrupted, giving uniform coverage with a minimum of overlap (overlapping can cause an excess of pesticide in certain areas).

While making a broadcast application of herbicide for weed control, the sprayer should not be slowed down or stopped at each weed. An uninterrupted spray over the entire area to be treated is effective for weed control if the herbicide is correctly mixed and the sprayer is properly calibrated.

Follow all label directions dealing with application techniques and methods.

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Cleaning Up

Thoroughly clean all equipment and yourself immediately after use. Mixed pesticides should not be stored. If you have excess pesticide mixed which cannot be used, spray it over an area that it will not harm. Check the pesticide label to determine legal and safe areas. Thoroughly rinse all spray equipment inside and out with clean water. Don't forget to flush the hoses and nozzles.

Be careful that the cleaning water does not damage crops. Do not dump the rinse water in one place where it will be concentrated and may become a pollutant. Spray the rinse water over a broad area so that the pesticide will be further diluted. NEVER RINSE PESTICIDES DOWN THE DRAIN!

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Storing and Disposing

Gardeners should store all pesticides in their original containers in a locked cabinet. NO EXCEPTIONS IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT CHILDREN¼S LIVES! Pesticides should be protected from temperature extremes‚‚some can be damaged upon freezing; others can be altered by heat. Do not store pesticides in the home!

Empty containers are best placed in refuse cans destined for a sanitary landfill. Wrap containers in newspaper and secure before disposal. Some states have special chemical dumps for pesticides; however, Virginia does not have such dump sites. The bottle should be rinsed out first, pouring the rinse water into the spray tank. Rinse three times, allowing 30 seconds to drain between each rinse. Never use empty pesticide containers for other uses; never allow children to play with empty containers. If possible, break the containers before disposal.

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First Aid Procedures

Read the "Statement of Practical Treatment" on each label; this can save lives. If a pesticide gets on the skin, remove the substance as quickly as possible. Remove all contaminated clothing. Prompt washing may prevent sickness even when the spill is very large. If a pesticide is inhaled, get to fresh air right away.

In case of poisoning, call a physician and your area poison control center. Have the package or poison in your hand and identify what the victim took and how much was taken. Keep calm-you have enough time to act-but don't delay unnecessarily.

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Read the label!

Be sure of proper application and safety measures, including protective clothing and equipment needed. Note specific warnings and precautions. Follow mixing ratios and instructions. Observe the days to harvest period for fruit and vegetables to the letter. Use pesticides only on those crops or sites listed on the label, and follow all other special instructions

The registration and use of pesticides are regulated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Under the amended Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (Federal Environmental Control Act of 1972), it is illegal to use a pesticide on a site (plant, animal, area) unless it is listed on the label. It is also illegal to exceed the label rate of application or the application frequency.

Under the law, you are liable for misuse of pesticides on your property.
Recent court rulings extend your liability to include misuse by commercial applicators you hire. Serious misuse by gardeners usually results from drift, leaching, or the direct treatment of the plant with a pesticide not registered for that use.

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Safety Tips

Never eat, drink, or smoke while applying pesticides or before cleaning up.
After applying pesticides, remove your clothes and wash them; then thoroughly wash hands, face, and body.
Each time you use a pesticide, read the directions!
Work outdoors with good light and ventilation when mixing or loading pesticides.
Never mix or apply pesticides on windy days.
If you splash or spill a pesticide while mixing or loading, stop immediately-remove contaminated clothing and wash thoroughly, then clean up the spill.