Issue Date: June 2007, Posted On: 6/18/2007

CEU: What you may be missing on a pesticide label

By Mary Lamberts

People who apply pesticides, especially those who use them on a routine basis, need to be careful about reading pesticide labels. The statement "the label is the law" really is true about pesticide labels. There are several key items that are part of the supplemental label that those who use pesticides should clearly understand and make a point to read in order to properly use the chemical and not violate the law.

The Signal Word

Signal words are much like traffic signals. They give us a quick, one-word warning about how toxic the concentrated product is to the person involved in mixing and loading the pesticide.

WEB EXTRA: Click here to view a sample pesticide label (PDF file).

"Danger" is used for products that are highly toxic. If "Danger" appears by itself, the product can cause severe damage to the skin and eyes. If "Danger" is accompanied by "Poison" and the skull and crossbones symbol, the product is very likely to cause acute illness.

If you need to work with this type of pesticide, you might want to program the number for the National Capital Poison Center into your cell phone: (800) 222-1222.

"Warning" is used for products that are moderately toxic, and "Caution" is used for products that are slightly toxic. Some people are surprised that not all pesticides with the signal word of "Danger" are restricted-use, while some with the "Warning" signal word are. The restricted- use designation depends on several factors, including human toxicity.

The EPA Registration Number

The EPA Registration Number, or Reg. No., is an important part of the label. It is unique to each formulation of a product and to each product. Part of the number is the manufacturer's code. The other part is for the specific product itself. For example, an 80 WP, or wettable powder, will have a different EPA Reg. No. from a 50 WP of the same product. This is why the EPA Reg. No. is required for records for restricted-use pesticides and the Worker Protection Standard.

Precautionary Statements

This section of the pesticide label has four main parts: Hazards to Humans and Domestic Animals; First Aid; Environmental Hazards; and Physical or Chemical Hazards.

Hazards to Humans and Domestic Animals

Here you will find several key points that help pesticide applicators protect themselves from harm. One of the first things you will read in this section is the Acute Effects Statements that tell you potential routes for a pesticide to harm you. These routes include oral, dermal, eye and inhalation exposure.

If a pesticide is known to cause allergic effects, the label will state something like "prolonged or frequently repeated skin contact may cause allergic reactions in some individuals." This wording is used because you may not know you are allergic to the product the first time you use it, and not everyone has an allergic reaction to the product.

Delayed effects statements may be listed here. Alternatively, they can be listed as one of the reasons the product is classified as restricted-use. Delayed effects are health problems that do not appear for many years and may include tumors or reproductive problems.

The fourth item in this section is Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE. PPE requirements are most closely tied to acute effects. Once you know the routes of potential harm, you can better understand why specific PPE is required by the label. You may even decide you want to use more than what is listed on the label.

If a product causes eye damage, you should wear some type of protective eyewear. If skin contact causes acute illness or death, expect to see PPE such as coveralls over a long-sleeved shirt and long pants, chemical-resistant gloves, chemical-resistant footwear plus socks, chemical-resistant headgear for overhead exposure and a chemical-resistant apron when cleaning equipment of mixing and loading.

First Aid

This part of the label tells you what to do in case of an accident. If you are using either a carbamate or an organophosphate, the First Aid section will identify that immediately. The First Aid section will include specific directions for if a pesticide has been swallowed or inhaled, or has gotten on the skin or in the eyes.

In cases where a pesticide has been swallowed, the label may state that you need to call a poison control center or a physician immediately for medical advice?before assisting the person in any way. In other cases, the label will indicate that you should induce vomiting. In still other cases, you should not induce vomiting?usually because the pesticide is corrosive and will cause additional damage, or whenever the person is unconscious.

If needed, this section will give detailed information for physicians about specific medical treatments such as atropine sulfate.

Environmental Hazards

This is where you will find information about possible harm to wildlife and groundwater. To protect aquatic invertebrates, you may need to follow specific setback distances from surface water or intertidal zones. If the product is toxic to bees, the label will state that you must avoid treating or allowing drift onto blooming crops or weeds. In cases where the product has been detected in groundwater, the label will state this problem.

Physical or Chemical Hazards

This section has warnings about using or storing a product near heat or open flame.

Directions for Use

This is the final major section of a pesticide label. It contains information on some or all of the following topics: storage and disposal; compatibility; plant response precautions; plant-back restrictions; resistance management; integrated pest management; and also the crops, crop groups or sites for which the product is labeled. You always will find information about storage and disposal and the crops, crop groups or sites, as well as rates, timing and pre-harvest intervals for food crops.

Compatibility is listed when the pesticide is not compatible with specific compounds. Plant response precautions are given when the product has caused phytotoxic responses. The label may give specific information about which crops to avoid or weather conditions that make injury worse.

Plant-back restrictions are listed when a pesticide is not labeled for use on all the crops that might be grown in a given geographic area. You may have to wait for several months or a year before planting food or feed crops that are not listed on the label. In some cases, you may have to avoid these crops entirely.

Don't forget

This is a brief review of some of the information contained on pesticide labels.
Even though you have read a specific pesticide label many times in the past, you still need to read it again every time you plan to use that product. Labels can change six or more times in a year. Remember this motto: Read and follow all label directions.

To earn ONE CORE CEU credit:

Now that you have read this article, earn your Core Education Credit. Call or write to Mary Lamberts for a set of questions regarding this article. You also will receive a four-page sample pesticide label to use when answering the questions. Answer the questions, return the questionnaire and receive your results and your credit. This CEU is worth one core credit.

Contact:
Mary Lamberts
Vegetable Agent &
   County Pesticide Trainer
University of Florida
Miami-Dade County Extension
18710 SW 288th St.
Homestead, FL 33030-2309
Ph: (305) 248-3311, ext. 234
Fax: (305) 246-2932
E-mail: Lamberts@ufl.edu