- Author: Elaine Lander
February is a month where we celebrate and acknowledge many things: Black History Month, Valentine's Day, Groundhog Day, President's Day, and others. But did you know February is also National Pesticide Safety Education Month? While pesticide safety is important year round, we at UC IPM are taking time to reinforce this topic to help those who use pesticides stay safe.
Pesticides used in gardens, landscapes, and around the home include store bought products, aerosol bug sprays, weed killers (herbicides), concentrated or ready-to-use products, and even home-made mixtures used for killing pests.
Basic Pesticide Safety
- Author: Elaine Lander
- Author: Karey Windbiel-Rojas
As the days get shorter and the temperatures begin to cool, now is the time to practice weed management for annual cool-season weeds. It's also not too early to consider management for weeds that emerge in springtime.
Using integrated pest management (IPM) methods can help reduce the presence of most weeds. In lawns, good practices such as proper watering, mowing, and fertilizing can help maintain healthy turfgrass. Likewise, in landscapes, hand-weeding, cultivation, and use of mulches can be effective in controlling weeds. More specific information about these and other IPM practices can be found in our Pest Notes publications on
- Author: Karey Windbiel-Rojas
- Author: Belinda J. Messenger-Sikes
In order to stay healthy and keep our spaces clean during the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are using disinfectants and sanitizers more than they may have before. The Centers for Disease Control say to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus, people should wash hands often with soap and water, and for surfaces, clean first with soap and water then disinfect. When used according to label directions, this will reduce the virus particles present that could infect people.
Disinfectants are pesticides
Disinfectants are designed to kill germs, including viruses, on surfaces and are designated by law to be pesticides. These antimicrobial pesticides are...
- Author: Karey Windbiel-Rojas
Many people have increased their use of disinfectants and sanitizers due to the COVID-19 crisis. It is important to use these products correctly to ensure they are effective and to protect ones health. See the info graphic below from the National Pesticide Information Center about how to safely use disinfectants.
[Originally posted on Community Pest News. Republished with permission.]
- Author: Lisa A Blecker
- Author: A. Katrina Hunter
- Posted by: Elaine Lander
Public concern regarding the risk of illness from long-term exposure to glyphosate is on the rise. In order to reduce exposure to this common herbicide, or any other pesticide, it's important that applicators wear the right personal protective equipment (PPE), not only for personal safety, but also to comply with California regulations.
Signal words and glyphosate
Pesticide labels contain a signal word, which describes the effects of acute or immediate toxicity from unprotected exposure to the chemical. Signal words are CAUTION, WARNING, DANGER, and DANGER-POISON (see the Spring 2019 issue of the retail newsletter for more
