Integrated Pest Management

IPM Manual for Landscape Pests in British Columbia

Chapter 11: Safe Use Guidelines for Landscape Pesticide Treatments

Learning Objectives

When you have completed this lesson, you should be able to:

1. List four general precautions that apply to most landscape pesticide applications.
2. Describe specific precautions for preventing bystander exposure.
3. Describe guidelines to prevent contamination of land and water adjacent to treatment areas.
4. Describe precautions to prevent accidental release of pesticide.
5. Describe authorizations and recommended notifications required for public land treatments.
6. Describe authorizations and recommended notifications required for private land treatments.
7. Describe professionalism as it applies to using pesticides.

When, in the course of an IPM program, a decision is made to use a pesticide, pest managers must choose the best formulations and application methods for the situation. They must also take all possible precautions to prevent the exposure of people and non-target organisms to the pesticide. Ways to limit negative impacts of pesticides include:

• Select the least-toxic pesticide that will do the job; if possible use a "preferred pesticide" as defined in this manual (see Chapter 3).
• Use application methods that minimize pesticide drift or spread in the environment.
• Limit treatments to only the plants or sites where pests are a problem (e.g., use spot treatments).
• Take precautions to prevent exposure of humans and non-target organisms to pesticides.

Precautions for Using Pesticides in Landscapes

Protecting Bystanders from Pesticides

What precautions to take to prevent exposure of bystanders to pesticides depends on the type of site. For example:

• Post public areas with notices stating where treatments are planned and have occurred (see text box on Guidelines for Pesticide Treatment Notices).
• Apply pesticides during periods of lowest public activity, if possible (i.e., during weekends for school grounds; in the early morning for parks).
• Avoid spraying areas near public roadways where school children may be present. This is usually from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
• Tell owners or occupants of private land what precautions they must take to prevent exposure (see below for details).

Preventing Contamination of Adjacent Land and Water Bodies

Pesticides must not be allowed to drift, run off or leach onto land or water bodies bordering treatment areas (see text box on How to Avoid Pesticide Drift). A suitable buffer distance must be left between the treatment area and adjacent areas to be protected.

• No spray droplets should fall on adjacent properties, where treatments are not authorized. Areas of particular conflict are where the adjacent land has:
  • cultivated plants grown for human consumption
  • plants sensitive to herbicide drift
  • trees or shrubs that may be damaged by herbicides leaching to roots areas where children play
    
  
  

• Do not contaminate domestic water supplies. Pesticides should not be mixed or applied, and application equipment should not be washed, within 30 m of wells or ponds used for domestic water supplies.
• Do not contaminate fish bearing waters directly or indirectly by runoff, leaching or drift.
• Leave enough distance between the treatment area and water body to prevent movement of pesticides into both the water and the riparian (riverbank) zone next to the water body (see text box on Setback Distances for Water Bodies).
• Do not let equipment rinse water and excess chemicals run into sewers or ditches with water in them. Rinse water should be put into spray tanks and applied to the treatment area. Otherwise, it must be disposed of as a hazardous waste through a hazardous waste disposal company.

Protecting Non-target Vegetation for Herbicides

Precautions must be taken to prevent herbicides from being carried to the roots of non-target plants. This applies particularly to trees because their roots usually extend a considerable distance from the trunk.

• Follow herbicide label directions if it specifies a buffer zone distance between the treatment area and non-target plants.
• If not specified on the label, herbicides should be applied no closer than one metre out from the drip line of trees. The drip line is the outer edge of the leaf canopy, where water drops from the foliage and where a tree normally has many roots.
• Non-selective residual herbicides should be applied no closer than a distance that is equal to two times the height of a tree (measured from the base of the trunk).
• Further distances from plants may be required depending on the sensitivity of the plant to herbicides, the soil type and the herbicide used.

Preventing Accidental Release of Pesticides

• Keep spray equipment (power hoses, backpacks, etc.) locked in vehicles or compartments of service trucks when not in use and during transport.
• Be prepared to handle pesticide spills and other emergencies. Have a pesticide spill kit and emergency phone numbers readily available.
• Never dispose of pesticides, empty containers or excess mixed pesticide on the property or leave them behind for the client to deal with.

Preventing Property Damage from Pesticides

• Some pesticides can stain stucco and siding or cement sidewalks. Where there is a possibility that spray could land on such surfaces, check labels for precautions. If in doubt, test spray before applying the pesticide to the treatment area.

Public Land: Authorizations and Notifications

Public lands are defined as land, buildings or facilities operated wholly or in part, by or for, a provincial government, city, municipality, regional district or other public agency such as a public school, college, university or hospital. All use of pesticides in such landscapes must be approved under the terms of a Service License issued by the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks (now Water, Land and Air Protection) (licenses are issued by regional offices in Nanaimo, Surrey, Kamloops, Nelson, and Prince George). Note that in some municipalities, bylaws restricting pesticide uses or requiring specific notification measures may be in effect.

Contractors working for municipalities and other agencies must follow the terms attached to the agency´s Service Licence. For example, contractors working for municipalities that have IPM plans or that are operating according to a provincial IPM standard must comply with the terms of the municipality´s plan or standards. Staff applying pesticides should have copies of the IPM plan or other standards that apply to their work with them on the job and must know what pesticides are authorized for use.

Remember that municipal boulevards, and roadside rights-of-way are public lands. As such, they cannot be treated with pesticides by the property owners or by private service companies unless authorized by the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks (now Water, Land and Air Protection) (e.g., through terms on Pest Control Service License or under a Pest Management Authorization). For pesticide use on municipal lands, ministry authorization would only be given with approval from the municipality.

Wherever people or pets could enter a pesticide treated area, such as parks and boulevards, notices should be posted to alert people and warn them of any precautions they should take (see text box on Guidelines for Pesticide Treatment Notices).

Private Land: Authorizations and Notification

Private landscapes include those around multiple, double and single family dwellings. Of course, any pesticide use on private land requires the consent of the land owner. Tenants or other residents of the property should also be notified and, ideally, their consent should be obtained. Common problems that arise over pesticide use in such landscapes revolve around communications between the applicator and the residents or landowners. Suggestions for improving these communications include:

• For apartment houses and multiple family homes, inform the landowner, property manager or other relevant authority about any planned treatments.
• Ensure that the service licensee, the manager or their representatives, posts notices on the grounds at least 24 hours before treatment. Notices should stay up for at least 48 hours after treatment (see text box for recommendations on design and placement of notices).
• For one or two family homes, inform the owner or occupants before applying a pesticide to the grounds. Tell them as well that it is their responsibility to advise guests to avoid contact with treated areas. Provide information on the pesticide to be used, how long to wait before entering the treated area or walking on treated lawns and tell them of any other safety precautions that should be observed. Be prepared to give clients copies of Material Safety Data Sheets for all pesticides used, if asked for them.
• Direct tenants of buildings adjacent to areas to be sprayed to close their windows and doors until the application is finished and vapours disperse. Also direct them to keep domestic pets away from treated areas for a suitable period (generally until pesticides are dry).
• Where fruit-bearing trees or other food crops are treated, provide occupants with a specific notice of treatment, containing days-to-harvest information (if applicable) after treatment.

Professionalism and Pest Management

A professional is someone with a high level of knowledge and training, who conducts their work effectively, responsibly and safely. Landscape professionals should:

• have horticultural training and meet certification and licensing requirements for conducting business and for using pesticides (as applicable)
• belong to professional associations
• follow national or provincial standards such as the BC Landscape Standard (see Further Reading) and continue to work at improving their knowledge and skills
• have well-maintained and calibrated equipment
• look after the welfare of clients by ensuring that services are correctly performed, taking precautions to prevent bystander exposure to pesticides and protecting the environment
• be able to apply an IPM approach to managing landscape pests

Using Pesticides Professionally

• Always have a valid Pesticide Applicator Certificate and Service License (as applicable). Have your Applicator Certificate wallet card with you on the job and be ready to show it if asked by a client or provincial inspector. Post the Service License at the office where records are kept.
• Know the federal and provincial regulations as well as municipal regulations, if any, that apply to your work and follow them.
• Keep clear and accurate pesticide records. Complete the Daily Operation Records at the time of each treatment application. Submit the Annual Summary of Operations records as required by the Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks (now called Water, Land and Air Protection).
• Honour any guarantees and be prepared to back up claims you make for your work. Don't make claims for pesticides or other products that are not true.
• Follow recommended pesticide safety and handling practices, wear protective clothing, mix and use pesticide products only according to instructions on the label and protect the environment and non- target areas from exposure to pesticides. Dispose of rinse water, waste pesticides and pesticides containers as required by provincial laws.

Communicating with Clients

When working with private residence clients, good communication is a vital part of a professional approach. Time spent in determining customer needs and informing them about IPM will be time well spent. For example, the idea of paying for monitoring, especially when it shows that no controls are needed, will be new to some people. By taking time to explain that inspections and monitoring are important parts of an IPM program your clients will realize that what they are paying for is the professional skill in maintaining plant health and a healthy landscape — not just for a pesticide application. Suggestions for other things to talk to clients about are:

• Before starting any work, make sure you understand exactly what the client or customer wants done. If their expectations are unrealistic or if unexpected problems arise, discuss the difficulty honestly with the client.
• Provide clear quotes and letters of agreement, describing the work accurately, the fees and expenses, work schedule, standards required and payment schedule.
• Provide clients with information about the IPM approach and benefits.
• Find out what they want their landscape to look like and whether the appearance of some parts of the landscape, such as the front yard, is more important than other areas. This will help in setting injury levels.
• Find out whether they have concerns about how pest problems are managed. For example, some clients do not want pesticides used in their landscapes or in some parts of it, such as on lawns where children play.
• Determine the budget the client has available for the work and adapt the service to fit their budget goals.
• Let them know what to expect from the different types of controls. For example, if biological controls are going to be released, make sure the client knows how they work and that it can take longer to see results than using pesticides.
• Explain the difference between damage that harms the plant and damage that affects the visual appearance temporarily, but does not cause long term harm to the plant. Most clients will tolerate minor injury if the plant is not at risk.
• After each visit, send or leave the client a written notice of work done and other key information about their landscape (see British Columbia Landscape Standard for sample site maintenance report forms and landscape monthly report forms).
  

By permission of BC Landscape and Nursery Association

Further Reading

____ 1997. British Columbia Landscape Standard. BC Society of Landscape Architects and BC Landscape & Nursery Assoc. 108 pp. (From: BCLNA, #101-5830 176A St., Surrey, BC V3S 4E3. Tel: 604-574-7772)