CONTENTS
Knowing Your Options
Tips for Handling Pesticides
Determining Correct Dosage
Correct Storage and Disposal
How to Choose a Pest Control Company
How to Reduce Your Exposure to Pesticides
"Someone's Been Poisoned, Help"
KNOWING YOUR OPTIONS
THEY'RE THERE. Whether you see them or not,
you know they're
there -- in your home, your vegetable garden,
your lawn, your
fruit and shade trees, your flowers, and on
your pets. They are
pests -- insects, weeds, fungi, rodents, and
others.
Households and their surrounding grounds are
frequent hosts to
common structural pests (cockroaches, fleas,
rodents), as well as
a wide array of pests that are usually
associated with
agriculture. Because pests are all around --
sometimes creating a
nuisance but sometimes causing severe
financial loss -- consumers
have turned increasingly to pesticides to
control them. Just as
"pests" can be anything from
cockroaches in your kitchen to algae
in your swimming pool, pesticides include
insecticides,
herbicides, fungicides, rodenticides,
disinfectants, and plant
growth regulators -- anything that kills or
otherwise controls a
pest of any kind.
The first and most important step in pest
control is to identify
the pest. Some pests, or signs of them, are
unmistakable. Others
are not. For example, some plant
"diseases" are really
indications of insufficient soil nutrients.
Three information sources are particularly
helpful in
identifying pests and appropriate pest
control methods: reference
books (such as insect field guides or
gardening books), your
local authority, and pesticide dealers.
The next step is to decide what level of
treatment you want. Is
anyone in the family or neighbourhood
particularly sensitive to
chemical pesticides? Does your lawn really
need to be totally
weed-free? Do you need every fruit,
vegetable, or flower you
grow, or could you replace certain pest-prone
species or
varieties with hardier substitutes? Will you
accept some
blemished produce? In other words, do you
need to eliminate all
weeds and insects, or can you tolerate some
pests?
Remember that total pest elimination is
virtually impossible,
and trying to eradicate pests from your
premises will lead you to
more extensive, repeated chemical treatments
than are required
for pest control. Remember, too, that to
manage any pest
effectively, you must use each method (or
combination of methods)
correctly. Finally, you must also abide by
all pertinent local
and government regulations.
PREVENTION
There is another important question to ask in
making pest
control decisions: is there something on your
premises that
needlessly invites pest infestations? The
answer to this question
may lead you to take some common-sense steps
to modify pest
habitat.
* Remove water sources. All pests, vertebrate
or invertebrate,
need water for survival. Fix leaky plumbing
and do not let water
accumulate anywhere in your home. This means
no water in trays
under your houseplants overnight if you have
a cockroach
infestation.
* Remove food sources (if the pest's food is
anything other than
the plant or animal you are trying to
protect). For example, this
could mean storing your food in sealed glass
or plastic
containers, avoiding the habit of leaving
your pet's food out for
extended periods of time, and placing your
refuse in tightly
covered, heavy-gauge rubbish bins.
* Remove or destroy pest shelter. Caulk
cracks and crevices to
control cockroaches; remove piles of wood
from under or around
your home in order to avoid attracting
termites;
* Remove and destroy diseased plants, tree
prunings, and fallen
fruit that might harbour pests.
* Remove breeding sites. The presence of pet
manure attracts
flies, litter encourages rodents, and
standing water provides a
perfect breeding place for mosquitoes.
* Remove sources of preventable stress to
plants (flowers,
trees, vegetable plants, and turf). Plant at
the optimum time of
year. Use mulch to reduce weed competition
and maintain even soil
temperature and moisture. Provide adequate
water.
* Use preventive cultural practices, such as
careful selection
of disease-resistant seed or plant varieties,
companion planting
to exploit the insect-repellent properties of
certain plants,
strategic use of "trap" crops to
lure pests away from crops you
wish to protect, crop rotation and
diversification, and optimum
use of spacing. Make sure you have good
drainage and soil
aeration.
Non-chemical Controls
If you practice preventive techniques such as
those mentioned
above, you will reduce your chances, or
frequency, of pest
infestation. However, if you already have an
infestation, are
there any pest control alternatives besides
chemical pesticides?
The answer is an emphatic "yes."
One or a combination of several
non-chemical treatment alternatives may be
appropriate. Your best
strategy depends on the pest and the site
where the pest occurs.
Non-chemical alternatives include:
* Biological treatments, including predators
such as ladybirds;
parasites; and pathogens such as bacteria,
viruses (generally not
available to homeowners), and other
microorganisms like Bacillus
thuringiensis and milky spore disease.
There is no way to be certain how long
predators will stay in
target areas. Contact your local authority
for information about
how to protect desirable predators.
* Mechanical treatments, including
cultivating to control weeds,
hand-picking weeds from turf and pests from
plants, trapping to
control rodents and some insects, and
screening living space to
limit flying insect access.
Non-chemical pest control methods really
work. They do have some
disadvantages: the results are not immediate,
and it requires
some work to make a home or garden less
attractive to pests. But
the advantages of non-chemical methods are
many. Compared to
chemical pesticide treatments, such methods
are generally
effective for longer periods of time. They do
not create hardy,
pesticide-resistant pest populations. And
they can be used
without safeguards, because they pose
virtually no hazards to
human health or the environment.
Chemical Controls
If you decide that chemical treatment can
provide the best
solution to your pest problem, and you want
to control the pests
yourself rather than turning the problem over
to a professional
pest control operator, then you have an
important decision to
make: which product to choose. Before making
that decision, learn
as much as you can about a product's active
ingredient -- its
biologically active agent. Is it
"broad-spectrum" in its mode of
action (effective against a broad range of
pests), or is it
"selective" (effective against only
a few pest species)? How
rapidly does the active ingredient break down
once it is
introduced into the environment? Is it
suspected of causing
chronic health effects? Is it toxic to
non-target wildlife and
house pets? Is it known, or suspected, to
leach through soil into
ground water?
Here again, your local authority, reference
books, or pesticide
dealers may be able to provide assistance.
When you have narrowed your choices of active
ingredients, you
are ready to select a pesticide product.
Choose the least toxic
pesticide that can achieve the results you
desire. Read the
label. It lists active ingredients, the
target pests (for
example, mites, flies, beetle grubs,
broad-leafed weeds, algae,
etc.), and the sites where the product may be
used (for example,
lawns, specific vegetable crops, roses,
swimming pools, etc.). Be
sure the site of your pest problem is
included among the sites
listed on the label.
Pesticide active ingredients are formulated
in many ways. Choose
the formulation best suited to your site and
the pest you are
trying to control. The most common types of
home-use pesticide
formulations include:
* Solutions, which contain the active
ingredient and one or more
additives, and readily mix with water.
* Aerosols, which contain one or more active
ingredients and a
solvent. They are ready for immediate use as
is.
* Dusts, which contain active ingredients
plus a very fine dry
inert carrier such as clay, talc, or volcanic
ash. Dusts are
ready for immediate use and are applied dry.
* Granulars, which are similar to dusts, but
with larger and
heavier particles for broadcast applications.
* Baits, which are active ingredients mixed
with food or other
substances to attract the pest.
* Wettable powders, which are dry, finely
ground formulations
that generally are mixed with water for spray
application. Some
also may be used as dusts.
Depending on the type of formulation you
choose, you may need to
dilute or mix the product. Prepare only the
amount that you need
for each application; don't prepare larger
amounts to store for
possible future use. (See "Determining
Correct Dosage.")
Once you have identified the pest, selected
the right pesticide,
and determined proper dosage, you are ready
to use the product.
Application technique and timing are every
bit as important as
the material used, so read the label for
directions. That
advice -- to read the label -- is repeated so
often in this guide
that it may become tiresome. But in fact, the
advice cannot be
repeated often enough. Read the label before
you buy a product,
and again before you mix it, before you apply
it, before you
store it, and before you throw it away. The
directions on a label
are there for a very good reason: to help you
achieve maximum
benefits with minimum risk. But these
benefits depend upon proper
use of the products.
Chemical pesticides also have their
disadvantages. They must be
used very carefully to achieve results while
protecting users and
the environment. The results are generally
temporary, and
repeated treatments may be required.
Therefore, to achieve best results when you
do use chemical
pesticides, use preventive and non-chemical
treatments along with
them. This will reduce the need for repeated
applications.
You should always evaluate your pesticide
use, comparing pre-
treatment and post-treatment conditions. You
should weigh the
benefits of short-term chemical pesticide
control against the
benefits of long-term control using a variety
of techniques.
Knowledge of a range of pest control
techniques gives you the
ability to pick and choose among them. Pests,
unfortunately, will
always be around us, and, if you know about
all pest control
options, you will know what to do the next
time THEY'RE THERE.
Tips for Handling Pesticides
Pesticides are not "safe." They are
produced specifically
because they are toxic to something. By
heeding all the following
tips, you can reduce your risks when you use
pesticides.
* All pesticides legally marketed in this
country must bear an
approved label; check the label to make sure.
* Before using a pesticide, read the entire
label. Even if you
have used the pesticide before, read the
label again -- don't
trust your memory. Use of any pesticide in
any way that is not
consistent with label directions and
precautions is subject to
civil and/or criminal penalties.
* Do not use a "restricted use"
pesticide unless you are a
formally trained, certified pesticide
applicator. These products
are too dangerous to be used without special
training.
* Follow use directions carefully. Use only
the amount directed,
at the time and under the conditions
specified, and for the
purpose listed. Don't think that twice the
dosage will do twice
the job. It won't. What's worse, you may harm
yourself, others,
or whatever you are trying to protect.
* Look for one of the following signal words
on the front of the
label. It will tell you how hazardous a
pesticide is if
swallowed, inhaled, or absorbed through skin.
"DANGER" means highly poisonous;
"WARNING" means moderately
hazardous;
"CAUTION" means least hazardous.
* Wear the items of protective clothing the
label requires: for
example, long sleeves and long trousers,
impervious gloves,
rubber (not canvas or leather) footwear, hat,
and goggles.
Personal protective clothing usually is
available at DIY stores.
* If you must mix or dilute the pesticide, do
so outdoors or in
a well-ventilated area. Mix only the amount
you need and use
portions listed on the label.
* Keep children and pets away from areas
where you mix or apply
pesticides.
* If a spill occurs, clean it up promptly.
Don't wash it away.
Instead, sprinkle with sawdust, vermiculite,
or cat litter; sweep
into a plastic bin liner; and dispose with
the rest of your
rubbish.
* Remove pets (including birds and fish) and
toys from the area
to be treated. Remove food, dishes, pots, and
pans before
treating kitchen cabinets, and don't let
pesticides get on these
surfaces. Wait until shelves dry before
refilling them.
* Allow adequate ventilation when applying
pesticides indoors.
Go away from treated areas for at least the
length of time
prescribed by the label. When spraying
outdoors, close the
windows of your home.
* Most surface sprays should be applied only
to limited areas;
don't treat entire floors, walls, or
ceilings.
* Never place rodent or insect baits where
small children or
pets can reach them.
* When applying spray or dust outdoors, cover
fish ponds, and
avoid applying pesticides near wells. Always
avoid over-
application when treating lawn, shrubs, or
gardens. Runoff or
seepage from excess pesticide usage may
contaminate water
supplies. Excess spray may leave harmful
residues on home-grown
produce.
* Keep herbicides away from non-target
plants. Avoid applying any
pesticide to blooming plants, especially if
you see bees or other
pollinating insects around them. Avoid birds'
nests when spraying
trees.
* Never spray or dust outdoors on a windy
day.
* Never smoke while applying pesticides. You
could easily carry
traces of the pesticide from hand to mouth.
Also, some products
are flammable.
* Never transfer pesticides to containers not
intended for them,
such as empty soft drink bottles. Keep
pesticides in containers
that clearly and prominently identify the
contents. Properly
refasten all childproof caps.
* Shower and shampoo thoroughly after using a
pesticide product.
Wash the clothing that you wore when applying
the product
separately from the family laundry. To
prevent tracking chemicals
inside, also rinse boots and shoes before
entering your home.
* Before using a pesticide product, know what
to do in case of
accidental poisoning.
* To remove residues, use a bucket to triple
rinse tools or
equipment, including any containers or
utensils used to mix the
chemicals. Then pour the rinse water into the
pesticide container
and reuse the solution by applying it
according to the pesticide
product label directions.
* Evaluate the results of your pesticide use.
Determining Correct Dosage
So much information is packed onto pesticide
labels that there
is usually no room to include examples of
each dilution
applicable to the multitude of home-use
situations. As a result,
label examples may inadvertently encourage
preparation of more
pesticide than is needed. The excess may
contribute to overuse,
safety problems related to storage and
disposal, or simply wasted
costs of unused pesticide.
Determining the correct dosage for different
types of pesticides
requires some simple calculations. The
following information can
help you to prepare the minimum quantity of
pesticide needed for
your immediate use situation.
For example, the product label says,
"For the control of aphids
on tomatoes, mix 8 fluid ounces of pesticide
into 1 gallon water
and spray until foliage is wet." Your
experience has been that
your six tomato plants require only one quart
of pesticide to wet
all the foliage. Therefore, only 2 fluid
ounces of the pesticide
should be mixed into 1 quart of water. Why?
Because a quart is
one-fourth of a gallon, and 2 fluid ounces
mixed into 1 quart
make the same strength spray recommended by
the label, but in a
quantity that can be used up all at once.
Consumers can solve problems similar to this
one with careful
arithmetic, good measurements, and
intelligent use of the
information provided here.
How to Measure
If you need to determine the size of a square
or rectangular
area, such as a lawn for herbicide
application, measure and
multiply the length and width. For example,
an area 10 feet long
by 8 feet wide contains 80 square feet.
Common area measurements
may involve square yards (1 square yard = 9
square feet) or
square feet (1 square foot = 144 square
inches).
If you need to determine the volume of a
space such as a room,
measure and multiply the room's length,
width, and height. For
example, a space 10 feet long, 8 feet wide,
and 8 feet high
contains a volume of 640 cubic feet. You
would use this
procedure, for instance, for an aerosol
release to control
cockroaches.
Most residential-use pesticides are measured
in terms of volume.
Some common equivalents are:
1 gallon (gal.) = 128 fluid ounces (ft. oz.)
= 4 quarts (qt.)
= 8 pints (pt.)
= 16 cups
1 qt. = 32 ft. oz.
= 2 pt.
= 4 cups
1 pt. = 16 ft. oz.
= 2 cups
1 cup = 8 ft. oz.
1 tablespoon = 1/2 fl. oz.
= 3 teaspoons
1 teaspoon = 1/8 ft. oz.
In measuring teaspoons or tablespoons of
pesticide, use only
level spoonfuls, and never use the same
measuring devices for
food preparation.
When calculating dosage, remember that, for
pesticides not
diluted with water, you should proportionally
change both the
quantity of pesticide and the area, volume,
or number of items
treated. For example, one-half pound per
1,000 square feet is
equivalent to one-quarter pound per 500
square feet. For a
pesticide that is diluted with water,
proportionally change the
quantity of pesticide, the quantity of water,
and the area,
volume, or number of items treated. For
example, one-half pound
of pesticide in 1 gallon of water applied to
1,000 square feet is
equivalent to 1 pound of pesticide in 2
gallons of water applied
to 2,000 square feet.
There is a point at which measurements needed
for smaller
quantities of pesticides are too minute to be
accurately measured
with typical domestic measuring devices. In
such cases, the user
can either mix the larger volume, realising
that there will be
left-over material; obtain a more accurate
measuring device, such
as a graduated cylinder or a scale which
measures small weights;
or search for an alternative pesticide or
less concentrated
formulation of the same pesticide.
Correct Storage and Disposal
The following tips on home storage and
disposal can help you
handle pesticides correctly.
Storage
* Buy only enough product to carry you
through the use season,
to reduce storage problems.
* Store pesticides away from children and
pets. A locked cabinet
in a well-ventilated utility area or garden
shed is best.
* Store flammable liquids outside living
quarters and away from
an ignition source.
* Never put pesticides in cabinets with, or
near, food, medical
supplies, or cleaning materials. Always store
pesticides in their
original containers, complete with labels
that list ingredients,
directions for use, and antidotes in case of
accidental
poisoning. Never transfer pesticides to soft
drink bottles or
other containers that children may associate
with something to
eat or drink. Always properly refasten
child-proof closures or
lids.
* Avoid storing pesticides in places where
flooding is possible,
or in open places where they might spill or
leak into the
environment. If you have any doubt about the
content of a
container, dispose of it with your rubbish.
Disposal
* The best way to dispose of a small, excess
amount of pesticide
is to use it -- apply it -- according to
directions on the
product label. If you cannot use it, ask your
neighbour whether
he/she can use it. If all the pesticide
cannot be used, first
check with your local health department or
solid waste management
agency to determine whether your community
has a household
hazardous waste collection programme or any
other programme for
handling disposal of pesticides.
* If no community programmes exist, follow
label directions
regarding container disposal. To dispose of
less than a full
container of a liquid pesticide, leave it in
the original con-
tainer, with the cap securely in place to
prevent spills or
leaks. Wrap the container in several layers
of newspapers and tie
securely. Then place the package in a covered
trash can for
routine collection with municipal refuse. If
you do not have a
regular rubbish collection service, take the
package to a
permitted landfill (unless your local
authority has other
requirements).
Note: No more than one gallon of liquid
pesticide should be
disposed of in this manner.
* Wrap individual packages of dry pesticide
formulations in
several layers of newspaper, or place the
package in a tight
carton or bag, and tape or tie it closed. As
with liquid
formulations, place the package in a covered
trash can for
routine collection.
Note: No more than 5 pounds of pesticide at a
time should be
disposed of in this manner.
* Do not pour surplus pesticides down the
sink or into the
toilet. Chemicals in pesticides could
interfere with the
operation of wastewater treatment systems or
could pollute
waterways, because many municipal systems
cannot remove all
pesticide residues.
* An empty pesticide container can be as
hazardous as a full one
because of residues remaining inside. Never
re-use such a
container. When empty, a pesticide container
should be carefully
rinsed and thoroughly drained. Liquids used
to rinse the
container should be added to the sprayer or
to the container
previously used to mix the pesticide and used
according to label
directions.
Empty product containers made of plastic or
metal should be
punctured to prevent re-use. (Do not puncture
or burn a
pressurised product container -- it could
explode.) Glass
containers should be rinsed and drained, as
described above, and
the cap or closure replaced securely. After
rinsing, an empty
mixing container or sprayer may also be
wrapped and placed in the
dustbin.
* If you have any doubts about proper
pesticide disposal, contact
your local health department, or your solid
waste management
agency.
How to Choose a Pest Control Company
Ants are taking over your kitchen. Mouse droppings
dot your
dresser drawer. You've got a pest control
problem, and you've
decided that it's too serious for you to
solve on your own.
You've decided you need a professional
exterminator.
If you find yourself in a situation like
this, what can you do
to be sure that the pest control company you
hire will do a good
job? Here are some questions you can ask:
1. Does the company have a good track record?
Don't rely on the company salesman to answer
this question;
research the answer yourself. Ask around
among neighbours and
friends; have any of them dealt with the
company before? Were
they satisfied with the service they
received? Call your local
consumer office; have they received any
complaints about the
company?
2. Does the company have insurance? What kind
of insurance? Can
the salesman show some documentation to prove
that the company is
insured?
Contractor's general liability insurance,
including insurance
for sudden and accidental pollution, gives
you as a homeowner a
certain degree of protection should an
accident occur while
pesticides are being applied in your home.
Contractor's workmen's
compensation insurance can also help protect
you should an
employee of the contractor be injured while
working in your home.
3. Is the company licensed?
Regulatory agencies issue pest control
licenses. Although the
qualifications for a license may vary, at a
minimum the license
requires that each company have a certified
pesticide applicator
present in the office on a daily basis to
supervise the work of
exterminators using restricted-use
pesticides. (Certified
applicators are formally trained and
"certified" as qualified to
use or supervise the use of pesticides that
are classified for
restricted use.) If restricted-use pesticides
are to be applied
on your premises, make sure the pest control
operator's license
is current. Also ask if the company's
employees are bonded.
You may want to contact your local authority
to ask about
pesticide certification and training
programmes and to inquire if
periodic recertification is required for pest
control operators.
4. Is the company affiliated with a
professional pest control
association?
Professional associations -- whether national
or local -- keep
members informed of new developments in pest
control methods,
safety, training, research, and regulation.
They also have codes
of practice that members agree to abide by.
The fact that a
company, small or large, chooses to affiliate
itself with a
professional association signals its concern
for the quality of
its work.
5. Does the company stand behind its work?
What assurances does
the company make?
You should think twice about dealing with a
company unwilling to
stand behind its work. Be sure to find out
what you must do to
keep your part of the bargain. For example,
in the case of
woodworm control treatments, a guarantee may
be invalidated if
structural alterations are made without prior
notice to the pest
control company.
6. Is the company willing, and able, to
discuss the treatment
proposed for your home?
Selecting a pest control service is just as
important as
selecting other professional services. Look
for the same high
degree of competence you would expect from a
doctor or solicitor.
The company should inspect your premises and
outline a
recommended control programme, including what
pests are to be
controlled; the extent of the infestation;
what pesticide
formulation will be used in your home and why;
what techniques
will be used in application; what
alternatives to the formulation
and techniques could be used instead; what
special instructions
you should follow to reduce your exposure to
the pesticide (such
as vacating the house, emptying the
cupboards, removing pets,
etc.); and what you can do to minimise your
pest problems in the
future.
Contracts should be jointly developed. Any
safety concerns
should be noted and reflected in the choice
of pesticides to be
used. These concerns could include allergies,
age of occupants
(infants or elderly), or pets. You may want
to get two to three,
bids from different companies -- by value,
not price. What
appears to be a bargain may merit a second
look.
Even after you have hired a company, you
should continue your
vigilance. Evaluate results. If you have
reason to believe that
something has gone wrong with the pesticide
application, contact
the company and/or your local pesticide
agency. Don't let your
guard down, and don't stop asking questions.
How to Reduce Your Exposure to Pesticides
Because chemical pesticides are so widely
used in our society,
and because of the properties of many of the
chemicals, low
levels of pesticide residues are found
throughout the
environment. Pesticides reach us in a variety
of ways -- through
food, water, and air.
In regulating pesticides, government agencies
strive to ensure
that lawful use of these products will not
result in harmful
exposures. Proper use of registered products
should yield residue
levels that are well within established
safety standards.
Therefore, our average exposure to low-level
residues, though
fairly constant, should not cause alarm.
Still, many people want to learn what choices
they can make to
further reduce their exposure to any
potential risks associated
with pesticides. By limiting your exposure to
these products, you
can keep your risks to a minimum.
Below you will find descriptions of the main
pathways of human
exposure to pesticides, as well as
suggestions on ways to reduce
overall exposure and attendant risks. If,
however, you suspect
that you suffer from serious chemical
sensitivities, consult an
expert to develop a more personally tailored
approach to managing
this problem.
EXPOSURE THROUGH FOOD
Commercial Food
Throughout life -- beginning even before
birth -- we are all
exposed to pesticides. A major source of
exposure is through our
diets. We constantly consume small amounts of
pesticides. Fruits
and vegetables, as well as meat, poultry,
eggs, and milk, are all
likely to contain measurable pesticide
residues.
There are standards, called tolerances, to
limit the amount of
pesticide residues that legally may remain in
or on food or
animal feed marketed in this country. Both
domestic and imported
foods are monitored to ensure compliance with
these tolerances.
Further, since pesticide residues generally
tend to degrade over
time and through processing, residue
concentrations in or on most
foods are well below legal tolerance levels
by the time the foods
are purchased.
Although regulations do limit dietary
pesticide exposure through
tolerances, you may wish to take extra
precautions. You can take
several steps to reduce your exposure to
residues in purchased
food.
* Rinse fruit and vegetables thoroughly with
water; scrub them
with a brush and peel them, if possible.
Although this surface
cleaning will not remove "systemic"
pesticide residues taken up
into the growing fruit or vegetable, it will
remove most of the
existing surface residues, not to mention any
dirt.
* Cook or bake foods to reduce residues of
some (but not all)
pesticides.
* Trim the fat from meat and poultry. Discard
the fats and oils
in broths and pan drippings, since residues
of some pesticides
concentrate in fat.
Home-grown Food
Growing some of your own food can be both a
pleasurable activity
and a way to reduce your exposure to
pesticide residues in food.
But, even here, there are some things you may
want to do to
assure that exposure is limited.
* Before converting land in an urban or
suburban area to
gardening, find out how the land was used
previously. Choose a
site that had limited (or no) chemical
applications and where
drift or run-off from your neighbour's
activities will not result
in unintended pesticide residues on your
produce. Choose a garden
site strategically to avoid these potential
routes of entry, if
possible.
If you are taking over an existing garden
plot, be aware that
the soil may contain pesticide residues from
previous gardening
activities. These residues may remain in the
soil for several
years, depending on the persistence of the
pesticides that were
used. Rather than waiting for the residues to
decline naturally
over time, you may speed the process.
* Plant an interim, non-food, crop like
annual rye grass,
clover, or alfalfa. Such crops, with their
dense, fibrous root
systems, will take up some of the lingering
pesticide residues.
Then discard the crops -- don't work them
back into the soil --
and continue to alternate food crops with
cover crops in the off
season.
* During sunny periods, turn over the soil as
often as every two
to three days for a week or two. The sunlight
will help to break
down, or photo-degrade, some of the pesticide
residues.
Once you do begin gardening, develop
strategies that will reduce
your need for pesticides while maintaining
good crop yields.
* Concentrate on building your garden's soil,
since healthy soil
grows healthy plants. Feed the soil with
compost, manure, etc.,
to increase its capacity to support strong
crops.
* Select seeds and seedlings from hardy,
disease-resistant
varieties. The resulting plants are less likely
to need
pesticides in order to flourish.
* Avoid monoculture gardening techniques.
Instead, alternate
rows of different kinds of plants to prevent
significant pest
problems from developing.
* Don't plant the same crop in the same spot
year after year if
you want to reduce plant susceptibility to
over-wintered pests.
* Become familiar with integrated pest
management (IPM)
techniques, so that you can manage any pest
outbreaks that do
occur without relying solely on pesticides.
* Mulch your garden with leaves, hay, grass
clippings,
shredded/chipped bark, or seaweed. Avoid
using newspapers to keep
down weeds, and sewage sludge to fertilise
plants. Newsprint may
contain heavy metals; sludge may contain
heavy metals and pesti-
cides, both of which can leach into your
soil.
Food from the Wild
While it might seem that hunting your own
game, catching your
own fish, or gathering wild plant foods would
reduce your overall
exposure to pesticides, this isn't
necessarily so. Wild foods
hunted, caught, or gathered in areas where
pesticides are
frequently used outdoors may contain
pesticide residues.
Migratory species also may contain pesticide
residues if these
chemicals are used anywhere in their flyways.
Tolerances generally are not established or
enforced for
pesticides found in wild game, fowl, fish, or
plants. Thus, if
you consume food from the wild, you may want
to take the
following steps to reduce your exposure to
pesticide residues.
* Because wild game is very lean, there is
less fat in which
pesticides can accumulate. However, avoid
hunting in areas where
pesticide usage is very high.
* Avoid fishing in water bodies where water
contamination is
known to have occurred. Pay attention to
posted signs warning of
contamination.
* You may want to consult with fish and game
officials where you
plan to hunt or fish to determine whether
there are any pesticide
problems associated with that area.
* When picking wild plant foods, avoid
gathering right next to a
road, utility right-of-way, or hedgerow
between farm fields which
probably have been treated (directly or
indirectly) with
pesticides. Instead, seek out fields that
have not been used to
produce crops, deep woods, or other areas where
pesticide use is
unlikely.
* When preparing wild foods, trim fat from
meat, and discard
skin of fish to remove as many fat-soluble
pesticide residues as
possible. For wild plant foods, follow the
tips provided for
commercial food.
Exposure Through Water
Whether it comes from surface or ground water
sources, the water
flowing from your tap may contain low levels
of pesticides.
When pesticides are applied to land, a
certain amount may run
off the land into streams and rivers. This runoff,
coupled with
industrial discharges, can result in
low-level contamination of
surface water. In certain hydrogeologic
settings -- for example,
sandy soil over a ground water source that is
near the
surface -- pesticides can leach down through
the soil to the
ground water.
Government bodies set standards and provides
advisory levels for
pesticides and other chemicals that may be
found in drinking
water. Water authorities test their water
periodically and
provide treatment or alternate supply sources
if residue problems
arise. Private wells generally are not tested
unless the well
owner requests such analysis.
If you get your drinking water from a private
well, you can
reduce the chance of contaminating your water
supply by following
these guidelines:
* Be cautious about using pesticides and
other chemicals on your
property, especially if the well is shallow
or is not tightly
constructed. Check with your local authority
before using a
pesticide outdoors, to determine whether it
is known or suspected
to leach to ground water. Never use or mix a
pesticide near your
well head.
* To avoid pesticide contamination problems,
be sure your well
extends downward to aquifers that are below,
and isolated from,
surface aquifers, and be sure the well shaft
is tightly sealed.
If you have questions about pesticide or
other chemical residues
in your well water, contact your local health
department.
* If your well water is analysed and found to
contain pesticide
residue levels above established or
recommended health standards,
you may wish to use an alternate water source
such as bottled
water for drinking and cooking. The best
choice is distilled
spring water in glass bottles. Ask your local
bottler for the
results of a recent pesticide analysis.
Exposure Through Air
Outdoors, air currents may carry pesticides
that were applied on
adjacent property or miles away. But there
are steps you can take
to reduce your exposure to airborne pesticide
residue, or drift,
outdoors. To reduce your exposure to airborne
pesticides:
* Avoid applying pesticides in windy weather
(when winds exceed
10 miles per hour).
* Use coarse droplet nozzles to reduce
misting.
* Apply the spray as close to the target as
possible.
* Keep the wind to your side so that sprays
and dusts do not
blow into your face.
* If someone else is applying pesticides
outdoors near your
home, stay indoors with your pets and
children, keeping doors and
windows closed. If it is very windy during
the pesticide
application, stay inside for an hour or two.
* If pesticides are applied frequently near
your home (if you
live next to fields receiving regular
pesticide treatment),
consider planting a buffer zone of
thick-branched trees and
shrubs upwind to help serve as a buffer zone
and windbreak.
Indoors, the air you breathe may bear
pesticide residues long
after a pesticide has been applied to objects
in your home or
office, or to indoor surfaces and crawl
spaces. Pesticides
dissipate more slowly indoors than outdoors.
In addition, energy
efficiency features built into many homes
reduce air exchange,
aggravating the problem. To limit your
exposure to indoor
pesticide residues:
* Use pesticides indoors only when absolutely
necessary, and
then use only limited amounts. Provide
adequate ventilation
during and after application. If you hire a
pest control company,
oversee its activities carefully.
* If pesticides are used inside your home,
air out the house
often, since outdoor air generally is fresher
and purer than
indoor air. Open doors and windows, and run
overhead or whole-
house fans to exchange indoor air for outside
air rapidly and
completely.
* If pesticides have been used extensively and
an indoor air
contamination problem has developed, clean --
scrub -- all
surfaces where pesticides may have settled,
including cracks and
crevices. Consult a knowledgeable
professional for advice on
appropriate cleaning materials if soap and water
are
insufficient.
Exposure Through Home Usage
Over a lifetime, diet is the most significant
source of
pesticide exposure for the general public.
However, on a short-
term basis, the most significant exposure
source is personal
pesticide use.
An array of pesticide products, ranging
widely in toxicity and
potential effects, is available "off the
shelf" to the private
user. No special training is required to
purchase or use these
products, and no one is looking over the
users' shoulder,
monitoring their vigilance in reading and
following label
instructions. Yet many of these products are
hazardous,
especially if they are stored, handled, or
applied improperly.
To minimise the hazards and maximise the
benefits that pesti-
cides bring, exercise caution and respect
when using any pesti-
cide product.
* Consider pesticide labelling to be what it
is intended to be:
your best guide to using pesticides safely
and effectively.
* Pretend that the pesticide product you are
using is more toxic
than you think it is. Take special
precautions to ensure an extra
margin of protection for yourself, your
family, and pets.
* Don't use more pesticide than the label
says. You may not
achieve a higher degree of pest control, and
you will certainly
experience a higher degree of risk.
* If you hire a pest control firm to do the
job, ask the company
to use the least toxic or any chemical-free
pest control means
available that will do the job. For example,
some home pest
control companies offer an electro-gun
technique to control
termite and similar infestations by
penetrating infested areas
and "frying" the problem pests
without using any chemicals.
* And remember: sometimes a non-pesticidal
approach is as
convenient and effective as its chemical
alternatives. Consider
using such non-pesticidal approaches whenever
possible.
"SOMEONE'S BEEN POISONED. HELP!"
What To Do in a Pesticide Emergency
The potential for a pesticide to cause injury
depends upon
several factors:
* Toxicity of the active ingredient. Toxicity
is a measure of
the inherent ability of a chemical to produce
injury. Some
pesticides, such as pyrethrins, have low
human toxicity while
others, such as sodium fluoroacetate, are
extremely toxic.
* Dose. The greater the dose of a specific
pesticide, i.e. the
amount absorbed, the greater the risk of
injury. Dose is
dependent upon the absolute amount of the
pesticide absorbed
relative to the weight of the person.
Therefore, small amounts of
a pesticide might produce illness in a small
child while the same
dose of the same pesticide in an adult might
be relatively
harmless.
* Route of absorption. Swallowing a pesticide
usually creates
the most serious problem. In practice, however,
the most common
route of absorption of pesticides is through
the skin and the
most toxic pesticides have resulted in death
through this route
of exposure.
* Duration of exposure. The longer a person
is exposed to
pesticides, the higher the level in the body.
There is a point at
which an equilibrium will develop between the
intake and the
output. Then, the level will no longer
continue to increase.
However, this point may be either above or
below the known toxic
level.
* Physical and chemical properties. The
distribution and the
rates of breakdown of pesticides in the
environment significantly
alter the likelihood that injury might occur.
* Population at risk. Persons who run the
greatest danger of
poisoning are those whose exposure is
highest, such as workers
who mix, load, or apply pesticides. However,
the general public
also faces the possibility of exposure.
Recognising Pesticide Poisoning
Like other chemicals, pesticides may produce
injury externally
or internally.
External irritants may cause
contact-associated skin disease
primarily of an irritant nature -- producing
redness, itching, or
pimples -- or an allergic skin reaction,
producing redness,
swelling, or blistering. The mucous membranes
of the eyes, nose,
mouth, and throat are also quite sensitive to
chemicals. Stinging
and swelling can occur.
Internal injuries from any chemical may occur
depending upon
where a chemical is transported in the body.
Thus, symptoms are
dependent upon the organ involved. Shortness
of breath, clear
saliva, or rapid breathing may occur as the
result of lung
injury. Nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps,
or diarrhoea may
result from direct injury to the
gastrointestinal tract. Exces-
sive fatigue, sleepiness, headache, muscle
twitching, and loss of
sensation may result from injury to the
nervous system. In gener-
al, different classes of pesticides produce
different sets of
symptoms.
For example, organophosphate pesticides may
produce symptoms of
pesticide poisoning affecting several
different organs, and may
progress rapidly from very mild to severe.
Symptoms may progress
in a matter of minutes from slight difficulty
with vision to
paralysis of the diaphragm muscle, causing
inability to breathe.
Therefore, if someone develops symptoms after
working with
pesticides, seek medical help promptly to
determine if the
symptoms are pesticide-related. In certain
cases, blood or urine
can be collected for analysis, or other
specific exposure tests
can be made. It is better to be too cautious
than too late.
It is always important to avoid problems by
minimising your
exposure when mixing and applying pesticides
by wearing gloves
and other protective clothing.
The appropriate first aid treatment depends
upon which pesticide
was used. Here are some tips for first aid
that may precede, but
should not substitute for, medical treatment:
* Poison on skin. Drench skin with water and
remove contaminated
clothing. Wash skin and hair thoroughly with
soap and water. Dry
victim and wrap in blanket. Later, discard
contaminated clothing
or thoroughly wash it separately from other
laundry.
* Chemical burn on skin. Drench skin with
water and remove
contaminated clothing. Cover burned area
immediately with loose,
clean, soft cloth. Do not apply ointments,
greases, powders, or
other drugs. Later, discard or thoroughly
wash contaminated
clothing separately from other laundry.
* Poison in eye. Eye membranes absorb
pesticides faster than any
other external part of the body; eye damage
can occur in a few
minutes with some types of pesticides. Hold
eyelid open and wash
eye quickly and gently with clean running
water from the tap or a
hose for 15 minutes or more. Do not use eye
drops or chemicals or
drugs in the wash water.
* Inhaled poison. Carry or drag victim to
fresh air immediately.
(If proper protection is unavailable to you,
call for emergency
equipment from the Fire Department.) Loosen
victim's tight
clothing. If the victim's skin is blue or the
victim has stopped
breathing, give artificial respiration and
call rescue service
for help. Open doors and windows so no one
else will be poisoned
by fumes.
* Swallowed poison. A conscious victim should
rinse his mouth
with plenty of water and then drink up to one
quart of milk or
water to dilute the pesticide. Induce
vomiting only if
instructions to do so are on the label. If
there is no label
available to guide you, do not induce
vomiting. Never induce
vomiting if the victim is unconscious or is
having convulsions.
In dealing with any poisoning, act fast;
speed is crucial.
First Aid for Pesticide Poisoning
First aid is the first step in treating a
pesticide poisoning.
Study the "Statement of Treatment"
on the product label before
you use a pesticide. When you realise a
pesticide poisoning is
occurring, be sure the victim is not being
further exposed to the
poison before calling for emergency help. An
unconscious victim
will have to be dragged into fresh air.
Caution: do not become
poisoned yourself while trying to help. You
may have to put on
breathing equipment or protective clothing to
avoid becoming the
second victim.
After giving initial first aid, get medical
help immediately.
This advice cannot be repeated too often.
Bring the product
container with its label to the doctor's
office or emergency room
where the victim will be treated; keep the
container out of the
passenger space of your vehicle. The doctor
needs to know what
chemical is in the pesticide before
prescribing treatment
(information that is also on the label).
Sometimes the label even
includes a telephone number to call for
additional treatment
information.
To keep your pets from being poisoned, follow
label directions on
flea and tick products carefully, and keep
pets off lawns that
have been newly treated with weed killers and
insecticides.
