University of Illinois Extension Services

Safe Pesticide Use This Gardening Season

 
At some point in the growing season, most gardeners will turn to a pest control product to control insects, diseases or weeds in the landscape or garden. While some products are relatively safe to humans and/or have a short residual in the environment, others may be more toxic and persistent. Regardless of their characteristics, all pesticide control products should be handled with care, even those designated as an organic product.
“For home gardeners, most exposures occur through skin contact while mixing or spraying a liquid material, or breathing in dust-type products,” says Tony Bratsch, University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator. “While we might not become greatly concerned about a one-time splash on the skin that results in no observable effect, we should be concerned about the cumulative effects of small, chronic exposures over many gardening seasons.”

Also keep in mind that individuals can have varying sensitivity to different types of chemical products, and in their responses to one-time exposure or exposures over time. Cumulative exposures over time especially increase risk for serious illness, such as development of cancer.

Bratsch offers these practical, common sense measures we can take to limit exposure to pesticides this gardening season:

1. Always wear protective equipment while mixing and applying, regardless of pesticide toxicity. At the very least, wear rubber gloves (unlined), long sleeves and pants, shoes rather than sandals, and a hat. Disposable nitrile gloves are a good choice. Cotton is a preferred clothing material that absorbs pesticides before they get to the skin. Goggles will help protect the eyes from wind drift or splash. A dust mask can help limit breathing of particulate and dust materials, and fine spray mist.

2. When mixing pesticides, never allow water hoses to come in contact with the spray material in your spray tank. Pesticides could be back-siphoned into your water source when the water is shut off. After mixing and applying pesticides, thoroughly wash equipment, taking care to rinse outside of hoses and handles of water spigots, or other surface areas where pesticides might have contacted.

3. Keep soap and water, as well as eye wash bottles, handy for accidental exposures. Wash pesticides from skin as soon as possible. Cat litter or “shop dry” granules are useful to help absorb accidental spills on floors or mixing areas.

4. Wash clothing and protective equipment soon after use. Clothing contaminated by “out of the bottle” concentrated product spills should be thrown away. Application exposed clothing should be washed in hot water, separately from the family laundry, and hung outdoors to dry. Rubber gloves and other protective gear can absorb pesticides over time, and gradually break down in their protective ability. These should be washed soon after use, replaced regularly and never stored with pesticides.

5. Following equipment cleanup, take a shower as soon as possible after application. The longer a pesticide is in contact with the skin, the better chance it will be absorbed into the blood stream, especially where blood vessels are close to the skin surface, such as the face.

6. No one should re-enter a treated area at least until the spray has dried or dust settled, or if specified, the re-entry time on the product label. Specified harvest interval time after spraying should be observed for consuming treated vegetables and fruit.

7. Before storing chemicals, read the label and follow any specific guidelines listed. Ventilation in the storage area should always be provided to allow fumes and gases to escape. Never store chemicals near any type of human or animal food, and always store chemicals out of the reach of children, preferably in a locked cabinet. The majority of pesticide poisonings occur with young children. Always store pesticides in their original containers or well-marked replacements, never in 2-liter soda bottles.

Remember, the product label is the first source for information about safe handling and use. In case of emergency, dial 911 or the Illinois Poison Control Center, 1-800-222-1222.

For more information about pesticide handling and protection issues as well as integrated pest management techniques, visit the University of Illinois Pesticide Safety Education website, http://web.extension.illinois.edu/psep/, and the Integrated Pest Management website, http://ipm.illinois.edu/.
 

Source: Tony Bratsch, Extension Educator, Horticulture