Safe and Effective Use of Pesticides By Dan McGrath, Oregon State University Adapted from the work of Steve Castagnoli, Neil Bell, Jeff Choate and Amy Jo Waldo

Welcome Please take your seats…

As an OSU Master Gardener, it is important that you have a basic understanding of pesticides and pesticide safety. Your clients will request information on pest control including how to use of pesticides.

Afternoon, after lunch… • Physical activity; use of music • Please gather your belongings, stand up, move to another area of the room, and take a seat • Please organize yourselves into teams of four to five (4-5) • Choose a time keeper

Please send someone to pick up:

• Power point handouts (white) • Workshop questionnaires (yellow)

Agenda ~ what you can expect Part One • Pesticide Terminology • Pesticide Toxicity Part Two • Label interpretation • Personal Safety Equipment Part Three • Pesticide application equipment • Clean up and disposal Questions/Answers PARKING LOT

Teaching Objective My teaching objective is to increase your confidence in your ability to find the information you need… …to answer questions you may encounter as an OSU Extension Master Gardener about the use pesticides in the home landscape

BEFORE the WORKSHOP • Please write your first name on questionnaire (yellow) • Answers five questions • If you do not know the answer please write “don’t know”

What is a pesticide?

Types of Pesticides • Herb ~ icides • Insect ~ icides • Fung ~ icides • Bacter ~ icides • Rodent ~ icides

Types of Pesticides • Acaricides Acarus ~ Latin for mite • Molluskicides Mollis ~ Latin for thin shelled • Nematicides Nema ~ Latin for thread

Pesticides Active ingredient (ai) Inert ingredients • Solvents (example: oil) • Dry carriers (example: clay) • Other chemicals (example: stickers)

Pesticide formulation

Some pesticides are pre-mixed or packaged in containers that double as applicators.

Liquid Formulations Aerosols (A) Solutions (S) • Ready-To-Use (RTU) • Concentrates

Solid Formulations • Dusts (D) • Granules (G) • Pellets (P) • Baits (B)

Pesticide Formulations • WP Wettable Powders (WP) • LC Liquid Concentrate (LC) • EC Emulsifiable Concentrates (EC)

Routes of pesticide poisoning

• Lungs • Eyes • Skin • Mouth

Which routes of pesticide poisoning are most common? • Dermal (skin) • Inhalation (lungs)

• WP Wettable powders - inhalation hazard

• LC Liquids can splash in the eye. Use extra caution with concentrates

• EC Emulsifiable concentrates are oily and readily penetrate the skin

Question #1 Why is it important to consider the pesticide formulation prior to applying a pesticide? (two words)

Applicator Safety

Small Group Activity • Choose a group leader • Make sure everyone gets to speak • Time Keeper: 10 minutes • Please answer the following questions • When you hear music, please bring your conversation to a close.

Discussion Questions Wouldn’t it be easier if we just forgot the whole thing? Is it really possible to use pesticides safely? What are your thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, opinions, and feelings about pesticides use and making a pesticide recommendation?

Hello… • Were there any differences in your group? What were they? • As a master gardener, you will encounter differences in thoughts, beliefs, opinions, and feelings about pesticides. • OSU Extension advocates a balanced, respectful, science based, and integrated approach to problem solving.

Pesticide Terminology

Pesticide Terminology Broad spectrum • Controls a wide range of pest organisms • e.g, Orthene (acephate)

Narrow spectrum • Controls a narrow range of pest organisms • e.g., Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.)

Pesticide Terminology Contact Pesticide • Pesticide must be sprayed directly on the target (weed, disease, insect) • Example: Bug-B-Gon (esfenvalerate)

Stomach Pesticide • Pesticide must be ingested by pest • Example: Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis)

Pesticide Terminology Non-selective • Provides broad-spectrum control of pest organisms. • e.g., Microcop (copper)

Selective • Targets specific organisms while doing no harm to many other organisms that may be present. • e.g., Weed-B-Gon (2,4-D)

Pesticide Terminology Residual Pesticide • Pesticide will persist after application, offering control for a period of time. • Example: Casoron

Systemic Pesticide • Pesticide can be translocated throughout the target plant to either protect it (fungicides, insecticides) or kill it (herbicides). • Example: Roundup

Restricted Use • ODA License required to use or to supervise restricted use pesticide • Applicator or Environmental risk • Not intended for home use

Pesticide Toxicity

Pesticide Toxicity • Acute toxicity – damage resulting from a one-time or limited exposure. • Chronic toxicity – damage resulting from long-term (repeated) exposure. • Herbicides, Insecticides, and Fungicides

Toxicity and Exposure • High toxicity and good management equals low risk • Low toxicity and poor management equals high risk • Zero exposure equals zero risk

Relative toxicity - LD50 • Lethal Dose (LD) that kills fifty percent (50%) of the animals in a dose-response study. • Stated in milligrams (1/1000 gram) per kilograms (1000 grams) of body weight • The smaller this number…the more poisonous the pesticide

Examples of LD50 • • • • • • • • • • •

glyphosate sulfur table salt aspirin diazinon lime sulfur caffeine pyrethrum rotenone copper sulfate nicotine sulfate

5000 mg/kg 5000 mg/kg 3750 mg/kg 1750 mg/kg 1250 mg/kg 820 mg/kg 200 mg/kg 200 mg/kg 130 mg/kg 100 mg/kg 60 mg/kg

Activity • Team Leader: Send someone to pick up LD50 Exercise Handouts (blue) • Time Keeper: 10 minutes • When your team is finished, if you are comfortable doing so, please stand. • When you hear the music, please bring your conversation to a close and take your seats. • Turn to your leader and say… • Turn to your teammates and say…

Glyphosate – LD50 5000mg per kg Man’s weight expressed in kgs? • 220 lbs divided by 2.2 lbs per kg equals 100kg LD50 expressed in mgs? • 5000mg per kg times 100kg equals 500,000 mg How many milligrams per pound? • 454 g/lb times 1000mg/g equals 454,000mg LD50 expressed in pounds? • 500,000 mgs divided by 454,000mg/lb = 1.1 pounds

About a pound of active ingredient would kill fifty percent of the test population.

Pyrethrum Flower – LD50 200mg per kg Man’s weight expressed in kgs? • 220 lbs divided by 2.2 lbs per kg equals 100kg LD50 expressed in mgs? • 200mg per kg times 100kg equals 20,000 mg How many milligrams per pound? • 454 g/lb times 1000mg/g equals 454,000mg LD50 expressed in pounds? • 20,000 mgs divided by 454,000mg/lb = 0.04 pounds

About a tablespoon of active ingredient would kill fifty percent of the test population.

Activity (2 min) • Choose a partner. • Please discuss question #2

What two factors determine your risk of harm when handling a pesticide?

Question #2 What two factors determine your risk of harm when handling a pesticide?

Toxicity and Exposure

Signal Words • Caution; LD50 500mg/kg or more (about

a quart)

• Warning ~ LD50 50-500 mg/kg (about a tablespoon)

• Danger

~ LD50 1-50 mg/kg

(just a pinch)

Signal word • Takes a quart or more of pure chemical to harm you • Wag your finger ~ You should still treat the material with respect

Caution

Signal word • Takes about a table spoon of the pure chemical to kill you • Hand Stop ~ “Hold it”

Warning

Signal word • Takes just a pinch to kill you • Skull and Cross Bones

Danger

Short Break Enjoy! When you hear the music please bring your conversation to a close and return to your seats

(I have a really cool gift to share with you after the break)

Grow Smart, Grow Safe A Consumer Guide to Lawn and Garden Products Available free, print on demand http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn Go to Commercial Vegetables

Personal Safety Equipment

Protect Head & Neck • A chemical-resistant hood or widebrimmed hat will help keep pesticides off your head, neck, eyes, mouth and face. • Plastic “safari” or “Northwester” style hats with plastic headbands work well and are relatively cool.

PPE Several types of coats made of different fabrics, with and without hoods.

Respirators

Protect your eyes.

Water Proof Gloves

Safety Demonstration

Question #3 What is the minimum protection you should wear when applying pesticides? • Long sleeve shirt • Long pants • Shoes and socks

Application Equipment Clean up and disposal

Mixing & Loading Double-check label directions each time you mix pesticides. Labels change and memories fail. Requires extra precautions due to: • • • •

Pesticides in concentrated forms Breezes and powders Splashing Other

Compression Sprayers • Pressurized sprayers with a handoperated pump • Require agitation • For tank capacities greater than ~1.5 gallons, consider a backpack sprayer.

Steps: Mixing & Loading 1. Read the label and check rates. 2. Fill tank with half of the water required 3. Add a measured amount of pesticide 4. Rinse measuring cups/spoons; add to tank 5. Add remaining water

Demonstration • Measuring strategy • Over spraying • Use a marker dye to avoid over-spraying

Calibrating and Using Back Pack Sprayers Available free, print on demand http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn Go to Commercial Vegetables

Activity (2 min)(5

min)

• If you are comfortable doing so, please stand up, cross the room, touch two walls and three tables and choose a partner • Discuss question #4

What are the three signal words? What do the three gestures mean? • When you hear music, please bring your conversation to a close and return to your seats.

Signal word • LD50 equals 500 mg/kg or more. It takes about a quart or more of pure chemical to kill you. • Wag your finger ~ You should still treat the material with respect

Caution

Signal word • LD50 equals 50 to 500 mg/kg. It takes about a tablespoon of the pure chemical to kill you. • Hand Stop ~ “Hold it”

Warning

Signal word • LD50 equals 1 to 50 mg/kg. It takes just a pinch or the pure chemical to kill you. • Scull and Cross Bones

Danger

Sources of Information • OSU Master Gardener Handbook • The PNW Handbooks • insects, diseases, weeds

• Books, Websites Crop Data Management Systems http://www.cdms.net

• The Label

Quote the Label • The label is a legal document. • Regardless of what other people, even OSU faculty, documents, and books report, the label is the final arbiter for all decisions about the safe, effective, and legal use of pesticides.

Interpreting the label

Print on Demand Labels

Demonstation Crop Data Management Systems

http://www.cdms.net

The Pesticide Label Directions for approved uses • • • •

Crops and pests, Application rates Application timing Re-entry interval (REI) Pre-harvest interval (PHI)

Other use precautions • Avoid treatment of sensitive plants. • Avoid sprays under certain conditions.

The Pesticide Label Type of pesticide • Insecticide, herbicide, etc. • Purpose of product.

Active ingredients and (%) Common names • Ortho (brand name) • Sevin (trade/product name) • Carbaryl (common chemical name)

The Pesticide Label • Name of manufacturer • EPA registration number •What and where manufactured •Have in case of accidental poisoning • Signal words and symbols •Large letters on front panel •Indicates relative toxicity

The Pesticide Label Precautionary statements • Hazards to humans and others. • Indicates route of entry of particular concern. • Indicates required clothing and PPE.

Statement of practical treatment • Instructions for dealing with accidental exposure.

Environmental hazards • Lists particularly sensitive organisms. • Birds, fish, endangered species, etc.

Activity • Team Leader: Send someone to pick up Label Handout (green) and Casoron labels (white). • Time Keeper: 10 minutes • When your team is finished, stand and stretch or remain seated, which ever you prefer. • When you hear music, please bring your conversation to a close and be seated. • Turn to your leader and say… • Turn to your teammates and say…

Interpreting a Pesticide Label • Brand Name Casoron • Formulation 4G (granular) • Common name dichobenil • Type of pesticide herbicide • Registration Number? EPA Reg. No. 400-168

Interpreting a Pesticide Label • Signal word and symbol? Caution • Approximate LD50? 500 mg/kg or more • License required (restricted use)? No • Induce vomiting if swallowed? No, not unless doctor advises

Interpreting a Pesticide Label • Use on vegetable garden? No • Environmental hazards? Avoid contamination of water • Protective gear required? Long sleeve shirt, long pants, shoes, socks, and water proof chemical resistant gloves

But Wait! There’s more…

30 Second Case Study • Home owner calls Master Gardener desk; has and old bag of Casoron. The label is mostly gone; difficult to read. • He wants to control “horsetail weeds” in his green house. • He wants you to tell him what rate of Casoron he should use?

Clean Up and Container Disposal

Washing Cloths • Wash pesticide-contaminated items separately from uncontaminated clothing and laundry. • Avoid direct contact with contaminated items, and work in a well-ventilated area. • If in doubt about ability to clean an item, discard it.

Disposal of Pesticide Containers Empty containers: • Triple rinse glass/plastic; add rinse water to pesticide tank • Cardboard containers in trash Poke holes in plastic/cardboard containers and wrap in newspaper to discourage reuse • Dispose of empty container in trash(not burned)

Leftover pesticide or banned products: • Check DEQ Home Hazardous Waste collection schedule

Pesticide Storage and Cleaning Up Spills

Pesticide Storage • Keep pesticides in original containers! • Store out of reach of children and pets. • Avoid temperature extremes and moisture. • Keep out of direct sunlight. • Store in leak-proof containers.

Cleaning Pesticide Spills • Keep the area well ventilated. • Wear gloves and protective clothing. • Contain the spill with absorbent material (cat litter or sawdust). • Scoop materials into a sealed container. • Wash the surface with soap and water • Check DEQ Home Hazardous Waste collection schedule

Question #5 - How do you protect yourself and the OSU Master Gardener program from legal liability when dealing with pesticide questions? (three words)

Quote the Label

Before we close... • Turn to your team leader and say… • Turn to your time keeper and say… • Turn to your teammates and say…

• AFTER the WORKSHOP Questionnaire (yellow) • SELF ASSESSMENT Double Lychert Scale Confidence Before/After • Teaching Evaluation

Pesticide Safety Workshop Dan McGrath OSU Extension