Safe Use of Pesticides

Information provided by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

 

You can control pests in your home and garden with safety if you use pesticides properly. Before buying a pesticide, check the label. Make sure it lists the name of the pest you want to control.

 

 

Read the Label

 

If not handled and applied properly, many pesticides can injure (some can even kill) wildlife, fish, honey bees, domestic animals or humans. The first rule of safety in using any pesticide is to read and follow the directions and precautions on the container label. Do this each time you use a pesticide; don't depend on your memory. Many pesticide manufacturers include leaflets or instructions with their products. Carefully read these also.

 

 

Storing Pesticides

  • Store pesticides in closed, well-labeled containers where children or pets cannot gain access to them. Do not place them near food or feed. Do not store them under the sink, in the pantry or in the medicine cabinet.

  • Always leave pesticides in their original containers. Be sure the labels remain on them. If a pesticide is marked "POISON", it will have antidote statement on the label. Be sure to read it. In case of an accident, take the container with you when seeking medical assistance.

  • Do not save or reuse empty containers. Rinse glass or metal containers with water and dispose of them properly.

 

 

Apply Pesticides Safely

  • Read the label first. Determine the right amount of the right pesticide to use. Over dosage is wasteful, it won't kill more insects, it may be injurious to plants, and may leave a harmful residue.

  • Be careful not to get pesticides on food, dishes, or cooking utensils.

  • Remove pets and their food and water pans before applying pesticides.

  • Keep people, particularly children, away from areas where you are mixing or applying pesticides.

  • Dilute or mix sprays outdoors or in a well-ventilated place.

  • When the label warns against it, be sure to avoid breathing pesticidal dusts or mists.

  • Keep your face away from, and to one side of, the cap when opening a container.

  • Handle liquid concentrates and oil-base sprays as though they were flammable.

  • Place poison bait out of reach of children and pets. (Baits for rats, ants and cockroaches account for a high percentage of the cases of accidental swallowing of pesticides by children under 12 years of age.)

  • Do no use a pesticide in the home if the label says a gas mask is required in its application.

  • In handling any pesticide, avoid contact with the skin. Use protective equipment if the label recommends it. Avoid excessive contamination of clothing when spraying or dusting.

  • Do not use your mouth to blow out clogged lines, nozzle tips, or other equipment parts, or to siphon a pesticide from a container.

  • When spraying or dusting pets, be sure pesticide is labeled for such use.

  • Do not smoke while handling pesticides.

 

 

Protect Wildlife, Fish, Honey Bees

  • When pesticides are applied to extensive land areas, every precaution should be taken to avoid contamination of streams, lakes, or ponds in order to protect fish and wildlife.

  • When pesticides are applied on the home grounds, avoid contaminating fish ponds.

  • Do not apply pesticides (particularly insecticides) to fish-bearing water unless the label specifically recommends the material for such uses) then apply it only at the specified rates.

  • Do not apply pesticides to or near home aquariums or fish bowls. Remove these from the room before spraying.

  • Bees and other pollinating insects have definite times for visiting plants. To prevent loss of these beneficial insects, do not apply pesticides during those times.

  • Avoid drift of pesticides. Don't spray or dust in the garden if the day is windy.

 

 

Protect Crops, Plants, Drinking Water

  • Apply pesticides only to the plants listed on the label.

  • Be sure to read the label before applying pesticides to growing vegetable or fruits. They may leave unsafe residues specified safe intervals between the last pesticide application and harvest.

  • Do not allow pesticide spray or dust to drift. When applying weed killer, keep it from coming in contact with your flowers, shrubs and other valuable plants.

  • Do not apply pesticides near dug wells where they might contaminate the drinking water. Do not apply them on areas from which they may be carried by runoff onto other areas.

 

 

Follow these Safety Measures

  • Wash with soap and water and change clothing immediately if you spill a pesticide concentrate on skin or clothing.

  • If you get a concentrate in your eyes, flush them immediately with plenty of water for 15 minutes and get medical attention.

  • If you accidentally swallow some pesticide, or if you feel ill effects after using it, call your physician at once. Read the label to the medical professional, naming the active chemical ingredient. Observe any antidote instructions on the label. Read and Follow the Label . . . its the LAW!