- Author: Lauren Fordyce
If you've used disinfecting wipes to clean surfaces in your home, an herbicide to control weeds in your garden, or insect repellents while on a hike, then you have used a pesticide. A pesticide is any material (natural, organic, synthetic, or even homemade remedies) that is used to control, prevent, kill, or repel a pest. Pesticides are designed to be toxic against certain pests like weeds, insects, or bacteria. But when they are not used properly, pesticides can also be toxic to people and pets, and harm the environment including water quality, pollinators, and natural enemies.
February is National Pesticide Safety Education Month, a time to raise awareness about...
- 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
/h2>UC ANR's charge is research and extension and we provide guidance about how to manage weeds using registered pesticides and by non-chemical methods. UC ANR includes information in its publications on how to effectively and safely use glyphosate where it is legal to do so as well as provide options for alternative chemical and non-chemical approaches for managing weeds.
UC ANR recognizes that the use of any pesticide carries risks, including in some cases the possibility of acute (immediate), chronic (long term) or carcinogenic effects, to those who may be exposed to them. This is true of any pesticide, which includes herbicides such as glyphosate.
UC ANR has not specifically addressed carcinogenicity or other health...
- Author: Niamh Quinn
Rodenticides continue to come under scrutiny in California due to issues surrounding the potential for nontarget injury to wildlife and pets. While California already has the strictest rodenticide laws and regulations in the country, there have been recent calls to ban all rodenticide applications in the state. Several Assembly Bills (AB 2596, AB 1687, and AB 2422) have been introduced proposing either bans or major restrictions on rodenticide applications.
Anticoagulant rodenticides have been detected in many species of wildlife worldwide; yet the origins, exposure pathways, and effects of these exposures are not well understood. The origins of these rodenticide exposures from point of application to point of...
- Author: Cheryl Reynolds
Spring is in full swing and summer is right around the corner. If you work in agricultural, turf, landscape, or structural settings, you are probably at your busiest. If you handle pesticides as part of your work, you most likely wear some sort of personal protective equipment (PPE). However, do you know if you are wearing the right type for the job that you do? Wearing the appropriate PPE, taking it off the right way, and correctly cleaning it prevents unnecessary pesticide exposure to yourself and others.
Learn the steps so you don't expose your family members or those around you to pesticide residues by viewing a brand new online course on Proper Selection, Use, and Removal of Personal Protective Equipment from the...