Handle pesticides with care. Most pesticides are toxic, which makes them effective against unwanted pests but also poisonous to humans and animals. Used according to label instructions, however, they present minimal risks to people and the environment.

Pesticide labels are discussed in detail in Chapter 4 of this book.

Store pesticides in clearly labeled, original containers, out of reach of children and animals. Keep pesticides in locked storage facilities. Dispose of empty containers so children cannot play with them.

Directions for use, including application rates and precautionary statements, are given on the product label. Additional information about toxicity and hazards can be obtained from the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for the pesticide in question. MSDSs are a good source of detailed information about emergency and first-aid procedures and about how to handle spills and leaks. You should be able to obtain an MSDS on any pesticide from either the place of purchase or the manufacturer. Manufacturers are required to list their address on the pesticide label.

Pesticide Control Legislation

All pesticides are regulated by state and federal laws to protect the user and consumer. Pesticides that are highly toxic, persist in the environment, or pose some other significant risk to humans or wildlife are placed on a restricted-use list by EPA. A lead agency in each state, such as the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), can add pesticides to the restricted-use list for that state. These restricted-use pesticides (RUPs) must be clearly labeled and may be purchased and used only by certified applicators. If you have questions about the status of a pesticide, consult your Cornell Cooperative Extension educator. No restricted-use materials for consumer use are mentioned in this bulletin. Mention of a restricted-use material is only included when a consumer is likely to encounter the name when working with a certified pesticide applicator.

Certification

Commercial applicators of pesticides, as well as private applicators who use restricted-use pesticides, must be certified. Certification exams are given throughout the state. Consult your Cornell Cooperative Extension educator or a DEC regional pesticide specialist if you have questions concerning certification.

Neighbor Notification Law

The Neighbor Notification Law applies to schools and daycare centers throughout New York State. Homeowners, commercial pesticide applicators, and pesticide retailers are also affected in the NY counties that have adopted the law. As of May, 2009, these New York counties were participating: Albany, Erie, Monroe, Nassau, Rockland, Suffolk, Tompkins, Ulster, Westchester, and all 5 counties of the New York City area (Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, and Richmond).

The Neighbor Notification Law, Chapter 285 of the Laws of 2000 (Environmental Conservation Laws from New York State), was signed in to law on August 21, 2000. The Neighbor Notification Law amends Title 10 of Article 33 of the Environmental Conservation law relating to the commercial and residential lawn application of pesticides. The existing provisions of Title 10 require that before any commercial lawn application, the applicator must enter into a written contract with the owner (or owner’s agent) of the property to which the application is to be made. The law also requires the posting of specified visual notification markers. These provisions apply to all commercial lawn applications throughout the state.

The Neighbor Notification Law added to Title 10 a mechanism to allow counties and New York City to pass a local law to “opt into” a set of requirements including posting of visual notification markers by homeowners for a residential lawn application, posting of informational signs at retail establishments selling general-use lawn care pesticides and, for certain commercial lawn applications, procedures for advance notification to occupants of dwellings, multiple dwellings, and other structures on abutting property.

The regulations governing pesticide applications (Part 325 of the New York State Rules and Regulations)include a section that outlines what’s required to comply with the Neighbor Notification Law. These regulations pertain to pesticide applicators conducting commercial lawn applications, persons conducting residential lawn applications, and placement of signs at retail sellers of general-use lawn pesticides.

Active and Inert Ingredients

A packaged pesticide, or end-use product, that is available for purchase consists of an active ingredient and inert ingredients. The active ingredient is the chemical responsible for pesticidal activity. It must be listed on the label along with its percentage by weight in the container. A product with a low concentration of active ingredient is less hazardous to handle than one with a high concentration of the same active ingredient. Inert ingredients are not listed by name on the label but may include materials such as water or flammable and toxic solvents such as xylene. They are added to give bulk to the end-use product and to reduce its overall toxicity by diluting the active ingredient. They also serve as solvents or carriers to spread the pesticide evenly on the surface.

Pesticide Poisoning

A particular pesticide can have acute toxic effects, chronic toxic effects, or both. Acute toxicity occurs when a person is exposed to a single, large dose of poison. Symptoms usually appear immediately, although they may be delayed a day or two. The severity of the symptoms depends on how toxic the particular poison is and the length of exposure. An acute exposure to a small amount of a slightly toxic pesticide may produce mild symptoms such as headache or nausea. In extreme cases, acute exposure to a highly toxic pesticide can produce severe symptoms that require immediate medical attention and can result in death.

Chronic toxicity occurs when a person is exposed to repeated small doses of a toxic material over a long period of time. Potential chronic effects include cancer, birth defects, and damage to organs such as the liver. Before allowing a pesticide to be sold in the United States, EPA requires that it be tested on laboratory animals. If testing shows clearly that a pesticide causes cancer or birth defects, EPA can cancel, suspend, or restrict its use. Sometimes, to prevent exposure that may lead to chronic effects, EPA will allow a pesticide to be used under limited circumstances or only by certified applicators. Test results are often unclear. Very large doses of a pesticide may cause cancer in mice but not in rats and guinea pigs, making it difficult to extrapolate this evidence to humans. Because of this uncertainty, it is always best to treat pesticides with caution and to avoid exposure.

Routes of Exposure

Poisons may enter the bloodstream by three main routes. If swallowed, they can penetrate the stomach or intestinal walls, just as nutrients do. Poisons that are suspended in the air as fine droplets or vapors can be inhaled and enter the bloodstream through the lungs. Or poisons can be absorbed through the skin and into blood vessels. Poisons splashed into an eye may enter the bloodstream via blood vessels as well as irritating or damaging the eye.

Persons handling or applying pesticides should protect themselves and others from all of these routes of exposure. Wear the protective clothing and equipment listed on the pesticide label whenever you handle pesticides. Keep unprotected persons out of the area being treated. If you spill pesticide on yourself, remove any contaminated clothing and wash the skin with soap and water immediately. See Appendix I for information on laundering pesticide-contaminated clothing. Do not eat, drink, smoke, or chew gum while handling pesticides.

Pesticides are not the only poisonous materials we encounter in daily life. Many of the chemicals we normally consume are toxic, but we remain healthy because we consume only small amounts at any one time. For example, if we could concentrate all the caffeine from 100 cups of coffee into a single cup, or if we could manage to drink 100 cups of coffee at one sitting, we would die from caffeine poisoning. And yet most people consume one or a few cups of coffee every day with no ill effects. By contrast, only a tiny amount of botulin, a poison that is produced by a bacterium and causes food poisoning, can kill a person.

Avoiding Harm to Wildlife and the Environment

Some pesticides are especially toxic to specific groups of animals. For example, rotenone, a botanical insecticide that is only moderately toxic to humans and other mammals, is lethal to fish and must be kept out of streams, ponds, and lakes. Check the label for special warnings or instructions for protecting wildlife and the environment.

Granular pesticides or bait blocks that are left in the open may be found and eaten by non-target wildlife. EPA has banned the use of granular formulations of certain pesticides because birds have been poisoned when they mistook the granules for seeds. Spray applications of these same pesticides may pose no threat to birds.

Some insecticides applied to control garden pests can kill honey bees, which pollinate garden crops. Harm to honey bees can be avoided by applying pesticides only in early morning or evening when bees are inactive.

Any pesticide that moves out of the target area during or after application is a pollutant. Pesticides can move off target in several ways. Wind disperses airborne pesticides, so they should not be applied when it is windy. Be especially careful if there is a stream, pond, or lake downwind from your application site. Keep children, pets, toys, pet dishes, and other items out of downwind areas. Some pesticides are volatile in heat, vaporizing and rising off the treated surfaces, moving with breezes as an invisible cloud until, once cooled, they are deposited at a distant location. Hence volatile pesticides should not be applied in very hot weather. Rain or sprinkler water can wash pesticides off target, especially on slopes.

About half of the U.S. population (as much as 90 percent in rural areas) depends on groundwater for drinking. Careless application or disposal of pesticides can contaminate ground-water. Pesticides are most likely to contaminate groundwater when they are applied above gravelly or sandy soils or a shallow water table. Check pesticide labels for warnings or instructions on how to protect groundwater.

How Toxic Is the Pesticide?

Look for signal words in large, bold print on the front of every pesticide label. DANGER means that the pesticide is highly toxic, WARNING that it is moderately toxic, CAUTION that it is slightly toxic or relatively nontoxic. Use the signal word on the label to choose the least toxic pesticide available (see Table 3 at the end of this Chapter).

Doctors and scientists use what’s called the LD₅₀ to measure toxicity. (LD stands for lethal dose.) The LD₅₀is the amount of a chemical that kills one-half (50 percent) of the experimental animals in a laboratory test. LD₅₀s are found for both oral and dermal routes of exposure. LD₅₀s are expressed as an amount of chemical per unit of body weight, usually milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg). Rats, mice, guinea pigs, dogs, or some other species may be used. Because a chemical may behave differently in a human than in a test species, LD₅₀s do not measure exactly how toxic a chemical is to humans. They can, however, be used as a relative measure of toxicity.

A low LD₅₀ indicates that only a small amount kills test animals. A high LD₅₀ indicates that the material is only slightly toxic.

Table 3. Categories of acute toxicity
Category	Signal word required on the label	LD₅₀(animal lab tests)		LC₅₀	Approximate oral dose that can kill an average person
Category	Signal word required on the label	Oral (mg/kg)	Dermal (mg/kg)	Inhalation (ppm)	Approximate oral dose that can kill an average person
I. Highly toxic	DANGER—	1 to 50	5 to 43	10 to 100	A few drops to 1 teaspoon (or a few drops on the skin)
	POISON! skull and crossbones
	(Not used to indicate skin and eye irritation effects)
II. Moderately toxic	WARNING!	50 to 500	44 to 340	100 to 1000	More than 1 teaspoon, up to 2 Tablespoons (1 fluid ounce)
III. Slightly toxic	CAUTION!	500 to 5,000	2,820 to 22,590	1000 to 10,000	More than 1 fluid ounce, up to 1 pint or 1 pound
IV. Relatively nontoxic	CAUTION!	5,000+	22,600+	10,000+	More than 1 pint or 1 pound

Protective Clothing

When handling pesticides, always wear the protective clothing listed on the label. Long pants and long shirtsleeves are the minimal protection that should be worn when handling any pesticide. The pesticide label may recommend additional protection. Before purchasing a pesticide, be sure that you have all the protective equipment needed to use it safely. Keep unprotected persons and pets away from treated areas. Additional information on protective clothing is available in Always Wear the Right Stuff, a Cornell Cooperative Extension video. For copies, contact the Department of Fiber Science and Apparel Design at Cornell University at 607-255-3196 or email cwc4@cornell.edu.

How to Avoid Accidents and Misuse

· Always keep pesticides in their original package or container. Make sure the containers are kept tightly closed and clearly labeled. Never put a pesticide in an empty food or drink container.

· Never leave pesticides where children and innocent persons can reach them. Place the package or container out of reach as soon as the sprays or dusts have been prepared.

· Read everything on the package label. Be sure the site on which the pesticide will be used (e.g., inside the home, on broccoli, or on pine trees) is listed on the label and be sure the pest you want to manage is also listed on the label.

· Follow the label directions exactly. Reread them each time you use the material.

· Observe the cautions, especially application rates, to be sure residues on edible plants are within the safety limits set by law.

Rules for Using Pesticides

· Use the proper pesticide at the proper time to manage a pest.

· Measure the material accurately. Overdosage seldom kills more insects, diseases, or weeds and, in fact, may harm nontarget plants, animals, or people.

· Measure and mix the materials in a well-ventilated area.

· Check the pesticide label for protective clothing to wear during the application. At a minimum, wear chemically-resistant gloves when handling pesticides and when applying the materials, wear long pants, long sleeves, gloves, shoes or boots (not sandals), and a wide-brimmed hat to protect your neck.

· Before spraying inside the home to control flying insects, check the pesticide label for specific preparations before applying the pesticide. Some basic items are to cover all food and utensils and close windows and doors tightly. Tightly cover aquariums and remove birds, dogs, cats, and other pets. After spraying, leave the room and close the door.

· Check the pesticide label for any re-entry information and do not enter the treated area until the proper time.

· When spraying pesticides outside, remove or cover food and water containers used by pets. Do not contaminate fish ponds or streams.

· Never spray when children or pets are nearby.

· Use two different sprayers – one for applying insecticides and fungicides and another for applying herbicides – to help avoid accidentally injuring sensitive plants with herbicide residue.

· Do not leave mothballs where children can get them; mothballs resemble candy.

· Be sure to follow any pre-harvest intervals (PHIs) listed on the pesticide label when applying pesticides to crops.

Cleanliness

· Never smoke, drink, or chew gum or tobacco while handling pesticides.

· Avoid inhaling sprays, dusts, or vapors.

· Have soap, water, and a towel available. If you spill concentrated pesticide on yourself, rinse it off immediately and then wash thoroughly with soap and water.

· Launder clothes worn when applying pesticides separated from the rest of your laundry. Afterward, clean the washing machine by running an empty cycle with hot water and detergent. See Appendix I for tips on laundering pesticide-contaminated clothing.

Storage

· To avoid long-term storage, purchase only what you will use within the season.

· Store pesticides and pesticide equipment in a locked cabinet or room. A cool, dry, well-ventilated storage area is best.

· Post a sign, KEEP OUT—PESTICIDE STORAGE, on the cabinet or door to the room in which pesticides are stored.

· Never store pesticides with or near food, medicine, or cleaning supplies.

· Do not store herbicides with other pesticides because the vapors from the herbicides may be absorbed by other pesticides. Thus sensitive plants may be injured when contaminated pesticides are used. Volatile herbicides such as 2,4-D should be stored outside the house if you have sensitive houseplants.

Disposal

· To avoid having to dispose of unwanted pesticides, purchase only what you need for one season, or a little less. Some pesticides lose their effectiveness from one season to the next.

· Do not dispose of empty containers or surplus pesticides where they may be a hazard to fish or wildlife or may contaminate water.

· Consult the pesticide label for properly disposing of empty and partially-filled pesticide containers.

· If the label is no longer readable, dispose of the pesticide and the container at a hazardous waste drop-off site.

Types of Accidental Poisoning

Routes of poisoning include ingestion, inhalation, and skin contact. Ingestion refers to pesticides entering the body orally—through the mouth. They may be swallowed by mistake, but poisoning may also occur if hands are not properly washed before eating or smoking.

Inhalation means that the pesticides are drawn into your lungs as you breathe. Dusts, spray mist, or fumes may be drawn in. This might occur during mixing of dry chemicals or while fumigating or spraying in enclosed areas without proper masks for respiratory protection. Pesticides can enter the bloodstream in as little as 10 seconds after inhalation!

Skin contact or dermal poisoning may occur from wet, dry, or gaseous forms of pesticides. Pesticide might be spilled directly on the skin, or contamination can occur from pesticide-contaminated clothing. Eyes must be thoroughly flushed with clean water if pesticides are splashed into them, and all pesticides coming in contact with the skin should be washed off immediately with soap or detergent. Contaminated clothing should be removed promptly. See Appendix I for instructions on laundering pesticide-contaminated clothing.

If you experience headache, nausea, or blurred vision or if you accidentally swallow any pesticide, call a medical doctor immediately. Read the pesticide label to the doctor, naming the active ingredient. If it is necessary to go to the doctor’s office or the hospital, take the pesticide container so the doctor can properly identify the pesticide.

Keep the Poison Control Center phone number posted nearby in case of emergency. This number is listed in Appendix II.

Do not let a tragedy happen in your family or neighborhood. Pesticides are poisons—not playthings.

Sensitivity

If you are especially sensitive to pesticides, consult a medical doctor or allergist and avoid further exposure to the offending materials.

Accidental Spills

Pesticide spills vary in severity depending on the materials used, the amount spilled, and where the spill occurs. Small spills of slightly toxic concentrates may be less dangerous than spills of larger quantities of dilute, highly toxic materials that drain into streams, ponds, or storm sewers.

Two ways to clean up spills are: (a) diluting and washing the pesticide into turf with a water hose, or (b) absorbing the pesticide with pet litter. If there is any doubt about how to clean up a spill, consult the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), or if in another state, contact the appropriate lead agency handling pesticide questions or your regional pesticide inspector.

Pest Management Guidelines A Cornell Cooperative Extension Publication	New York Pest Management Guidelines
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