Subject: Re: Household Pesticide Handling Survey by RTI for EPA

From: John Mather <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1993 22:45:02 GMT

Subject: Household Pesticide Handling Survey by RTI for EPA
From: Larry London, [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1993 14:42:13 GMT
In article <[email-masked]> Larry London,
[email-masked] writes:

>Those in the field of urban horticulture were not surprised by the
survey's >findings.

>The first surprise to EPA officials

>Another surprise concerned the safety of children around household

>The next surprise regarded pesticide use around the home

>Households also scored low in the environmental safety category. 

>This study reinforces the certified pesticide applicators opinion
>that the american general public is the largest abuser of
>pesticides.  The EPA was surprised at the findings.

The EPA sort of sounds like Gomer Pyle, "Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!"
Where have these people been? As a professional horticulturalist,
educator, certified applicator with 20+ years of experience using
pesticides, I am shocked if they didn't even suspect this. I have always
maintained that homeowners were THE WORST abusers of registered
pesticides. 

How many people read the manual for anything? How many would take the
time to read the label? Not hard to figure out! The label is the key to
use of any pesticide. Any deviation from the labelled use is illegal and
may render the product useless or dangerous. The EPA counts on consumers
reading the label. Certainly consumers aren't likely to get acurrate
information fro hardware stores, discount stores, and even garden centers
that sell these products. The shelf stocker in the garden department at
K-Mart sure doesn't have the anwers.

Obviously certifying all users to include home owners would be obsurd.
Perhaps controlling these at point of sale would work better. License ALL
sellers of pesticides regardless of size; require training of sales
people; have preprinted handouts for each purchase. Just a thought.

Lest someone flame on about commercial applicators, with lots of
individual tales of terror, don't get me wrong. There are plenty of
abusers out there too. But at least there some training and control to
set up realistic expectations. Homeowners are without any. 

Last thought. Please read the label if you plan to use a pesticide. You
are required by law and it may save you a lot of problems.