NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State
University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665
April 9, 1998
[Editors: please include byline when using this story.]
Ronald C. Smith
NDSU Extension Horticulturist and Turfgrass Specialist
Many ask about the safety of the pesticides applied to turf. The question is easy to ask, difficult to answer accurately. A pesticide is like a car: how risky it is depends on how you handle it. If you misuse it, of course it will be dangerous.
Several researchers across the country and in Canada have examined this question: "What happens to a pesticide once it is applied to the turf area?"
The answer: it can be absorbed into the plant, the leaf blade, the soil and the thatch area, or it can be volatilized into the air. The main source for dermal exposure—exposure by absorption through the skin—is the fraction of pesticide that is left on the leaf blade, and that can be dislodged by a person frolicking in the area.
While many factors influence the amount of pesticide that can be dislodged, the most important is the time that has passed after application. The more time that passes, and the longer the liquid products are dried on the leaves, the less the potential for exposure. The largest reduction in risk comes in the first 24 hours. Watering reduces the risk of exposure even further.
A common practice is to post any lawn area treated with pesticides. Homeowners would be wise to respect these postings, and any admonitions on the labels of pesticides they apply themselves.
Individuals desiring impartial information on pesticides may call the Environmental Protection Agency's National Pesticide Telecommunications Network (NPTN) at 800-858-7378.
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Source: Ronald C. Smith (701) 231-8161
Editor: Barry Brissman (701) 231-7866