PESTICIDES |
| In gardening terms, pesticides would most commonly be considered those chemicals or materials used to control insect pests on plants. In a broader sense, one would also add fungicides and herbicides to the list. Over the past five decades, society has become much more conscious of the impact pesticides can have on the environment. In 1962, Pennsylvania naturalist Rachel Carson authored the famous book "Silent Spring" which succeeded in opening eyes to the risks posed by insecticides, primarily the use of DDT. The title referred to a silent spring without the sound of birds singing. On the other side of the aisle, pesticide use advocates would quickly remind you that without pesticides, food production yields could drop 40% while food and plant quality would suffer. Also, that insect-borne diseases like malaria would be more severe without the use of pesticides. Therefore, today's talk has evolved to 'thresholds' -- meaning what sort of economic or aesthetic threshold is acceptable without applying pesticides. In layman's terms, that means how many brown spots on your front lawn are 'aesthetically acceptable' or how much crop damage can a farmer sustain before it crosses an 'economic threshold.' The Middle Road Public debate, university research and practical application have landed us somewhere on the middle road with responsible pesticide usage. Instead of spray first and ask questions later, it's become the norm to practice Integrated Pest Management (IPM). IPM has several basic tenets:
If pesticide spraying is deemed necessary:
The most important thing an
individual can do before working with a pesticide is READ THE LABEL.
Be sure to read the ENTIRE label since it contains critical information concerning
the proper handling and use of the product. |
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| SPRAYER SAFETY TIPS | |||
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POISON
CONTROL CENTER |
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| CONSIDER HIRING A PROFESSIONAL | |||
| A professional plumber is usually the best choice for plumbing problems, just as a professional applicator is usually the best choice for controlling pest problems. They have the experience, training, and correct product to address your pest problems. Homeowners often expose themselves and others to pesticide poisoning by improper handling and use of pesticide products. It seems commonplace to see a well-intentioned homeowner outside on a Saturday morning in a t-shirt, shorts and flip-flops spraying a tree (and himself) with insecticide. One of the primary avenues of pesticide poisoning is dermal exposure, not to mention how much he might be inhaling and absorbing through his eyes... More questions arise: Is he using the right product, on the right plant, at the right time? Did he double the recommended rate wrongly thinking that twice as much is better? Did he read the label? Is his child in the garage handling, or worse yet, drinking the product while he's in the front yard spraying?
Commercial pesticide
applicators in Pennsylvania are required to hold a pesticide license
issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Under that
license, the applicator must carry certification in the proper
category. For example, a lawn care applicator must have Category 07
[Lawn & Turf] on his or her license, while a technician spraying
trees and shrubs must have Category 06 [Ornamental & Shade Tree]. In
addition to paying an annual license fee, these individuals must
complete pesticide update training every 3 years. |
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| PESTICIDE POISONING | |
| Four routes of pesticide poisoning: "ODIE"
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| PESTICIDE TOXICITY | |
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It's always
recommended to use the LEAST TOXIC pesticide
available to treat your particular need. |
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| HYPERSENSITIVE INDIVIDUALS | |
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CHEMSWEEP - Safe disposal of pesticides |
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Pennsylvania has a program to help homeowners and businesses dispose of
old or unwanted pesticides. Various counties participate in the
CHEMSWEEP program each year, and it provides an excellent way to
protect our environment from hazardous or illegal dumping. Call (717)
772-5210 for more information. |
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IMPORTANT |
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This page attempted to cover the basics of a very complex subject and
the information may be incomplete. We're not responsible for any errors
or omissions. |
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