North Dakota State University
NDSU Extension Service
Volume 21, No. 3, July 2003
2003 Project Safe Send Sites Announced
More Tidbits from the 2002 Pesticide Certification Survey
Wearing Personal Protective Equipment and Heat Stress
Keep Bees Safe During Insect Outbreaks
Summer is when folks at the pesticide program turn their attention to planning and strategizing for the next certification season. But a rare collision of events has changed our normal rhythm. West Nile Virus and mosquito control, grasshopper outbreaks, and an explosion in the normal population of pocket gophers and prairie dogs, has meant that an unusually high number of people are anxious to become certified to apply pesticides.
As a result, we are working aggressively and enthusiastically to advise people on certification requirements and we are processing 40 to 50 certifications a week when ordinarily we would do only a handful this time of year. We do not have any backlogs in the program and we are acting on certifications as soon as we obtain requests and/or sufficient documents.
If exams have been passed, if we have financial responsibility documents, if the appropriate fees have been paid, and for out of state applicators, if an appointment of agent form is on file with the North Dakota Secretary of State, we can process certifications immediately. If any of these items falls through the cracks, a certification may not be issued for months, if ever.
If you or your employees are applying for certification, realize that we will act upon these requests as quickly as possible but do not expect that we can instantly issue a certification just because you completed your exams or because you have a request in to our office. A panicked telephone call on any given afternoon will not likely result in the issuance of a certificate to apply insecticides for mosquitoes that evening. The reason is simple, we cannot act until all the legal requirements have been satisfied and sometimes that can take several days or more.
All the best,
Andrew A. Thostenson
Pesticide Program Specialist
BISMARCK - Drastically reduced funding for Project Safe Send has forced the North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) to scale back the popular program that helps state residents get rid of unusable pesticides.
"The department will conduct collections at only nine sites this July," said Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson. "I encourage anyone who has unusable pesticides to bring them to one of these collection sites, because this may be the last opportunity for at least the next two years for people to participate in Project Safe Send."
All collections will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (local time) at the North Dakota Department of Transportation (DOT) facilities in the following communities:
"Project Safe Send is safe and
is absolutely free for most users," Johnson said. "It's the best way
to get rid of these useless and
potentially dangerous chemicals."
Persons with more than 1,000 pounds of pesticides should call (701) 328-4997 to pre-register. Others do not have to pre-register.
NDDA will accept up to 100 pounds of pesticide rinsate free of charge, then a $1 fee will be charged for each additional pound.
Johnson said it is possible that no Project Safe Send collections will be made next summer. More than 1.4 million pounds of unusable pesticides, including DDT, arsenic and mercury compounds, have been shipped out of state and destroyed through Project Safe Send. Last year, NDDA collected a record 95 tons of unusable pesticides at 16 sites. Project Safe Send is entirely funded by the fees that pesticide manufacturers pay to register their products in the state.
For more information, please call Judy Carlson with the North Dakota Department of Agriculture at (701) 328-4997.
In September of 2002 all private and commercial certificate holders were surveyed by the North Dakota Agricultural Statistic Service regarding the effectiveness of the program.
The response to the mail survey was extraordinary. Without any follow-up mailings or telephone calls, the response rate for private applicators was 18 percent and for commercial applicators and dealers the rate was 36.7 percent. Clearly, participants were eager to respond and did so at levels that easily exceeded statistical requirements.
The results of the survey were astonishing for a program that is compulsory. Both private and commercial certificate holders gave exceptionally high marks to the program. Some high points from the survey:
Obviously, the results of the survey were very positive. More details are being gleaned from the survey and will be used by the Pesticide Certification Advisory Committee and the Pesticide Control Board to decide future changes in the program.
Personal protective equipment is any item that is specifically designed to provide the wearer with some degree of protection against pesticides. The term is abbreviated as PPE and includes coveralls, gloves, boots, aprons, sleeve guards, hats, eyewear and respirators. Ordinary work clothing also provides protection but is not called PPE.
As a pesticide applicator, you are required to use PPE. If the label states that you must wear PPE you must use it regardless of the threat of heat stroke. There are plenty of ways to manage heat stroke, but the law does not give a variance from using PPE because of it.
This is a federal and state law. The state law can be found in the North Dakota Century Code. The relevant passage is listed below:
4-35-15.2 Unlawful acts - Made a pesticide recommendation, application, or use inconsistent with the labeling or other restrictions prescribed by the board.
What follows are questions and answers from a Web site USDA, EPA, and OSHA have developed.
QUESTION: Does any PPE allow ease of movement?
ANSWER: Increased mobility can be achieved by selecting a material that moves with the body or by using a garment design that promotes movement. In PPE, the materials are limited by their ability to act as a pesticide barrier. If a choice exists, choose less bulky fabrics and wear undergarments that fit well and do not interfere with the protective clothing. Some design features to watch for are: raglan sleeves, elastic waists and wrists, pleats, panels of fabric across the shoulders, and gussets in the underarm and crotch areas. Be certain to use the size that fits best, a too-large garment can be as restrictive as a too-small garment.
QUESTION: What fibers and garments are recommended
for hot weather?
ANSWER: Wear loose clothing. If a choice exists, wear a coverall of woven instead of non-woven fabric. Select100 percent cotton over cotton/polyester blends. A cotton undershirt can help absorb perspiration. Consider a two-piece suit instead of a one-piece suit. Replace the full-body coverall for mixing/loading with a frontal apron and sleeve guards or a sleeved apron that is open in back. In addition, multi-layered fabrics and film-coated fabrics are available that offer some breathability while protecting against pesticides labeled CAUTION.
QUESTION: What are the
symptoms of heat stress?
ANSWER: PPE can contribute to heat stress when worn under hot and humid conditions. Signs and symptoms of heat stress include: fatigue, headache, nausea, chills, dizziness, thirst, loss of coordination, and altered behavior.
QUESTION: How can heat stress be avoided?
ANSWER: Avoid heat stress by adjusting gradually to working in the heat. Drink plenty of water. Take regular breaks in the shade. Avoid working in the noonday sun by scheduling work for cooler times of the day. Use special cooling devices such as vests and headbands.
For more information on heat stress and pesticides, an excellent publication is available from the University of Florida. The title is: Managing Heat Stress when Mixing, Loading, and Applying Pesticides. The publication can be found at: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/PI/PI00900.pdf
Farmers hiring an applicator to spray their fields should alert beekeepers with hives in the intended spray area so they can take appropriate protective measures. Since the hives may have to be moved, the beekeeper should be given at least one to two days notice before spraying.
If hives cannot be adequately protected (moved or covered) before spraying begins, the applicator should be alerted to the exact location of the hives so that direct spraying or drift will not contaminate them.
Timing of insecticide application: Never spray a crop in bloom unless it's absolutely necessary. If spraying a crop in bloom is necessary, spray when there will be minimal bee activity, preferably during the evening hours. Evening spraying also allows the insecticide to dry on the crop before bee activity begins the next morning.
Modify control programs according to the weather. Cold temperatures prolong the residual of insecticide while warm temperatures break down insecticides more rapidly. Warm temperatures in late afternoon, early evening or early morning can "hold" bees in blooming fields for longer periods. Pay attention to wind direction and velocity in relation to nearby bee yard locations.
Applicators who are unsure of where beehives are located should find out by consulting with farmer-customers or contacting:
Judy Carlson, State Apiary Director
North Dakota Department of Agriculture
Phone:800-242-7535 or 701-328-4997
e-mail: jcarlson@state.nd.us
A document with bee yard locations by county is now available on the Internet, as well. It can be found on the Pesticide Program Home Page under "What's Hot" at http://ndsupesticide.org
If an insecticide with high toxicity to bees is to be used in an area where your bees are foraging, be prepared to take steps to reduce the poisoning risk:
Need help with pesticide certification or general pesticide use issues?
Contact :
NDSU Pesticide Training and Certification Program
Box 5051, Fargo, ND 58105-5051
Tel: 701-231-7180 Fax: 701-231-8474
E-mail: pesticid@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Internet: www.ndsupesticide.org
Pesticide Quarterly, Volume 21, No. 3, July 2003
NDSU Extension Service, North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied Science, and U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Sharon D. Anderson, Director, Fargo, North Dakota. Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. We offer our programs and facilities to all persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, Vietnam era veterans status, or sexual orientation; and are an equal opportunity employer. This publication will be made available in alternative format for persons with disabilities upon request 701/231-7881.