PRIVATE APPLICATOR RECERTIFICATION 2009-2011 PESTICIDE LABELS and COMPLIANCE ISSUES Title slide North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services Structural Pest Control & Pesticides Division, Pesticide Section

The Label Is The Law In North Carolina, The Pesticide Label requirements, directions for use and application restrictions are all enforceable under the North Carolina Pesticide Law The label is the law. This means that it is the applicators responsibility to follow all label directions. Failure to do so can result in harm to the applicator, harm to the environment and financial loss.

…violated provisions of the NC Pesticide Law DON’T LET THIS BE YOU! Inspector Sherry Wood investigated and determined… This Department has completed its investigation… …violated provisions of the NC Pesticide Law Don’t let this be you! This is an actual case where the applicator failed to follow the label resulting in a fine. … applied Thiodan within 300 feet of the Pigeon River, which is prohibited by label directions.

This is the product label from the previously mentioned case.

Environmental Statements … do not apply directly to water, to areas where surface water is present Toxic to fish, birds, and other wildlife… This is the Environmental Hazard Statement from the Thionex 3EC label in the preceding slide. The applicator did not apply this pesticide according to the label. The pesticide should not be applied within 300 feet of lakes, ponds, streams and estuaries. … do not apply within 300 feet of lakes, ponds, streams and estuaries

Pesticide Use Classification General Use Pesticide *No certification required *Remember: “The label is the law” Pesticides are divided into general use and restricted use products. The product above is an example of a general use pesticide. It requires no certification for purchase or use.

Pesticide Use Classification Restricted Use Pesticide * *Requires certification for purchase and use *USDA recordkeeping is required Atrazine 4L is an example of a Restricted Use Pesticide. This product requires certification and a license to purchase and use this product. It also requires records to be kept each time the product is applied.

Important information you should know where to find Brand name of pesticide EPA Reg. Number and EPA Est. Number Active and inert ingredients Keep Out Of Reach Of Children Signal word (Caution, Warning, Danger) Important information that is always found on a pesticide label. Most of the information that is required for record keeping can be found on this part of the label.

Signal Words Found on Pesticide Labels MORE TOXIC The signal word describes the potential for the product to harm humans. LESS TOXIC Signal Words Found on Pesticide Labels

Precautionary Statements Hazards to Humans and Domestic Animals PPE First Aid Environmental Hazards: Fish and Aquatic, Bees, Birds, Wildlife Physical and Chemical Hazards The Precautionary Statement on the label contains the information in the slide above. Each will be discussed in more detail.

Under precautionary statement you will find the Hazards to Humans and Domestic Animals. This provides specific information concerning harmful effects of the pesticide and ways to avoid them.

Labels inform the applicator of the personal protective equipment (PPE) required to be used. This information is located on the Precautionary statement portion of the label. PPE can be in various types of equipment. You should become familiar with what PPE is required with the products you use.

First Aid The First Aid Statement contains specific information for treatment.

Environmental Statement Bee Caution: This product is highly toxic to bees exposed to direct treatment or residues on blooming crops or weeds… The Environmental Hazards Statement is found under the precautionary statement on the label. This section tells you certain precautions that need to be followed in order to protect the environment. The product above shows that this product is highly toxic to bees.

Physical and Chemical Hazards Any Physical or Chemical Hazards for a pesticide are listed under the Precautionary Statement on the label. These may include that the product is combustible, flammable, reacts with other materials, etc. Other labels may state…..Combustible. Do not use, pour, spill or store near heat or open flame….Use only with adequate ventilation

Directions For Use The Directions for Use includes crops and sites, Agricultural Use Requirements and specific information on using the product. It is a violation of Federal law to use any product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling.

If you have a farm, forest, greenhouse or nursery and have employees other than your immediate family then the Agricultural Use Requirements apply to you. Under this section of the label you will find the Restricted Entry Interval and the Personal Protective equipment that would be required for entry into the treated area.

Restricted Entry Interval (REI) Amount of time that must pass between the application of the pesticide and re-entry into the treated area. REIs are intended to protect workers from residues. REIs are specified in hours following application. The Restricted Entry Interval (REI) is the amount of time that must pass between the application of the pesticide and re-entry into the treated area.

Calculating a REI Pesticide application begins at 8:00 am and ends at 5:00 pm on May 8 Pesticide applied has a 24 hour REI The 24 hour REI will end May 9 at 5:00 pm This is the information on how to calculate a REI.

Some pesticides may have crop or task specific REI’s Directions for use REI Some pesticides may have crop or task specific REI’s Under the Directions for Use specific REI’s may be found for each crop or task on some labels.

This information is from the Agriculture Use Requirement box of another product. This label requires that the workers be notified both orally and by posting warning signs at the entrances to treated areas.

When using fumigants workers must be notified orally and by posting a fumigant warning sign at the entrances to treated areas. Notification: Notify workers of the application by warning them orally and by posting fumigant warning signs at entrances to treated areas…

Pre Harvest Interval (PHI) Label restrictions that specify the amount of time that must pass between application and harvesting of crop PHI’s begin when the application to a specific site is completed PHI’s are established to prevent excess residues PHI’s are reported in days (1 day=24 hours) The Pre Harvest Interval (PHI) is the time that must pass between the last pesticide application and the harvest of the crop. These times have been established to prevent excess residues in food crops.

Determining a PHI Application ends on May 8 at 3:00pm with a 7 day PHI 7 days x 24 hours = 168 hours On May 15 after 3:00pm the crop may be harvested legally This is the method used to determine a PHI.

Consequences of violating a PHI Farm Food Safety Consumer Confidence Pesticide Application Records Traceability IPM Following PHI = Legal Tolerances Label Compliant Spray Program Applicator Competence Violation of pesticide law and regulations Embargo of the commodity Negative perception of food safety Bad publicity for your commodity = less profit Listed above are the consequences of violating a PHI.

Directions for Use Directions for Use may contain other specific restrictions for using the product. An example is found above.

North Carolina Laws prohibit the burning of pesticide containers Storage and Disposal Pesticide must be stored according to label directions – Pesticide storage must be secured, dry and well ventilated. The Storage and Disposal Statement provides specific information on how one must store the product, dispose left over product and dispose of the pesticide container. Pesticides must be stored and disposed of according to label directions. North Carolina Laws prohibit the burning of pesticide containers

Storage Store in original container in a locked storage area Keep from freezing Store in cool, dry place out of direct sunlight Do not put concentrate or dilute into food or drink containers Keep container closed to prevent spills and contamination These are examples of storage statements found on labels.

Pesticide container disposal Do this …recycle! Recycling pesticide containers is the best method of disposing of pesticide containers. It protects the environment and helps improve the image of agriculture.

Not this … Improper disposal! Improper disposal harms the environment. Empty containers contain pesticide residues which can harm ground water and the environment.

Do this … Help protect the environment! Proper pesticide container disposal demonstrates a positive image for agriculture while protecting the environment.

Not this … Potential harm to the environment! The burning of pesticide containers, plastic or paper, is illegal in North Carolina. This results in harm to the applicator and the environment.

Recycle Pesticide Containers Triple rinsed containers can be placed in an approved landfill

Plastic Pesticide Container Recycling Recycling is available for farmers and commercial applicators in counties shown in green Recycled containers are made into industrial products Contact your county CES office for more information

Not this … = Monetary Penalty! Improper disposal of pesticide containers will result in a monetary penalty.

Recommendations From the Governor’s Task Force on Preventing Agricultural Pesticide Exposure Senate Bill 847 Requires Specific Action by the Pesticide Board The Governors Task Force On Preventing Agricultural Pesticide Exposure resulting in Senate Bill 847 requiring specific action by the Pesticide Board.

New recordkeeping rules effective May 1, 2009 Recording the specific time of day when each pesticide application was completed Extending the retention period for pesticide application information under the Worker Protection Standard (WPS) from 30 days to two years after the re-entry period expires.

Benefits of Accurate Records Documents legal use Determines effectiveness of application Protects in case of litigation Provides documentation for economic need to EPA Accurate pesticide records; documents legal use, determines the effectiveness of application, protects in case of litigation and provides documentation for economic need to EPA.

For more information: www.ncagr.com/SPCPD/pesticide 919-733-3556