I. Signal Words and Warning Signs
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1 I. SIGNAL WORDS AND WARNING SIGNS Signal words are required on nearly all pesticide products registered and labeled for sale in the United States. The signal word gives a pesticide user a way to quickly assess the relative hazard level associated with using a product. There are three signal words in use today: CAUTION, WARNING and DANGER. note: The value “Oral LD50” (Low Dose 50) is a measurement of amount of pesticide (mg/kg) that kills 50 out of 100 laboratory animals that are force fed the pesticide under study. 2 These three signal words are associated with toxicity categories established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These four categories can be roughly described as: o Toxicity category I is Highly toxic and Severely irritating, o Toxicity category II is Moderately toxic and Moderately irritating, o Toxicity category III is Slightly toxic and Slightly irritating, o Toxicity category IV is practically non-toxic and not an irritant. LD50/LC50: A common measure of acute toxicity is the lethal dose (LD50) or lethal concentration (LC50) that causes death (resulting from a single or limited exposure) in 50 percent of the treated animals. LD50 is generally expressed as the dose in milligrams (mg) of chemical per kilogram (kg) of body weight. LC50 is often expressed as mg of chemical per volume (e.g., liter (L)) of medium (i.e., air or water) the organism is exposed to. Chemicals are considered highly toxic when the LD50/LC50 is small and practically non-toxic when the value is large. However, the LD50/LC50 does not reflect any effects from long-term exposure (i.e., cancer, birth defects or reproductive toxicity) that may occur at levels below those that cause death. Although there is no requirement by law for Category IV products to carry a signal word, many manufacturers assign a “Caution” label above the mandatory KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN statement. Consumers should look for the signal word on the very front of any pesticide label. It is generally printed next to the mandatory KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN statement that is found on all pesticides. 3 4 Some examples of common signal word labels: 5 GHS PICTOGRAMS The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) is an internationally agreed-upon system, created by the United Nations. It is designed to replace the various classification and labeling standards used in different countries by using consistent criteria for classification and labeling on a global level. THE GHS or HARMONIZED CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM PICTOGRAMS: 6 Note: The United States published the final rule on March 26, 2012 for implementation of GHS. The final rule requires product manufacturers to adopt the standard by June 1, 2015 and product distributors to adopt the standard by December 1, 2015. Workers must be trained by December 1, 2015 (https://www.osha.gov/dsg/hazcom/HCSFactsheet.html) Products without signal words If you find a product being sold without a signal word there are several possible explanations. The product could be illegally labeled, in violation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Some imported pesticides show up in U.S. retail outlets without an EPA-registered label. Such products may be unsafe and should be reported to your state pesticide regulatory agency. [ where to report found here: http://npic.orst.edu/reg/state_agencies.html ] 7 A pesticide without a signal word may also be one of the so-called exempt or minimum risk products 1. , allowed under a section in FIFRA known as 25(b). These 25(b) exempt products are limited to a few active ingredients that the EPA determined could be generally regarded as safe. (See Appendix A) A minimum risk product must meet the five conditions listed below. A product that meets all of these five conditions is then exempted from regulation under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), i.e., the pesticide product does not need to be registered with EPA. Conditions that must be met for 25(b) classification: Condition 1: The product's active ingredients must only be those that are listed in 40 CFR 152.25(f) (1). Condition 2: The product's inert ingredients may only be those that have been classified by EPA as: o List 4A “Inert Ingredients of Minimal Concern;” o commonly consumed food commodities, animal feed items, and edible fats and oils as described in 40 CFR 180.950(a), (b), and (c); and o certain chemical substances listed under 40 CFR 180.950(e). Condition 3: All of the ingredients (both active and inert) must be listed on the label. The active ingredient(s) must be listed by name and percentage by weight. Each inert ingredient must be listed by name. Condition 4: The label cannot include any false or misleading statements. Condition 5: The product must not bear claims either to control or mitigate organisms that pose a threat to human health, or insects or rodents carrying specific diseases. Finally, it could be one of a very few products labeled since a recent ruling by the EPA allowing certain newer Category IV insecticides to be labeled without a signal word. One of the first such products, from DuPont, is the turf insecticide Acelepryn, registered in 2008. 8 Using signal words One of the best uses of a signal word is when selecting a pesticide product for s specific use. If you have a choice between comparable products, it’s best to choose the one with the lowest hazard rating. Most consumer products these days are sold with Caution signal words, but it’s still important to check first. If you are considering purchasing a product with a Danger or Warning signal word, be especially careful to read the safety precautions on the label, especially those regarding protective clothing and where the product may be safely used. In every instance, the Board of Health strongly urges residents to avoid products that carry the Danger or Warning signal label. These products are rarely necessary and should be used and applied by registered and certified professionals 1. http://www2.epa.gov/minimum-risk-pesticides/conditions-minimum-risk-pesticides II. COMPOUNDS DEFINED AS PESTICIDES 1. A pesticide is a chemical meant for attracting, seducing, and then destroying, or mitigating any pest. They are a class of biocide. 9 The term pesticide includes all of the following: herbicides, insecticides, insect growth regulators, nematicides, termiticides, molluscicides, piscicides, avicides, rodenticides, predacides, bactericides, insect repellents, animal repellents, antimicrobials, fungicides, disinfectants (antimicrobial), and sanitizers. Most pesticides contain chemicals that can be harmful to people, animals, or the environment. For this reason the Office of Pesticide Programs of the Environmental Protection Agency regulates pesticides in the United States to protect public health and the environment. Examples of pesticide products commonly used in homes: Cockroach sprays and baits Mosquito sprays Rat poisons Flea and tick sprays, powders, and pet collars. The term pesticide also includes these substances: Defoliants: Cause leaves or other foliage to drop from a plant, usually to facilitate harvest Desiccants: Promote drying of living tissues, such as unwanted plant tops. Insect growth regulators: Disrupt the molting, maturity from pupal stage to adult or other life processes of insects Plant growth regulators: Substances (excluding fertilizers or other plant nutrients) that alter the expected growth, flowering, or or reproduction rate of plants Additionally, these common products are considered pesticides by the EPA: Cleaners used to disinfect the kitchen floor. Cleaning products used to remove the mildew on bathroom tiles. Household plant sprays. Lawn and garden products to kill insects and weeds. Some swimming pool chemicals. 10 TYPES OF PESTICIDES Pesticides are often referred to according to the Type of Pest they control. Another way to think about pesticides is to consider those that are Chemical Pesticides or are derived from Natural or Common Source or production method. Pest Types Pesticides that are related because they address the same type of pests include: Algicides Control algae in lakes, canals, swimming pools, water tanks, and other sites. Antifouling agents Kill or repel organisms that attach to underwater surfaces, such as boat bottoms. Antimicrobials Antimicrobials Kill microorganisms (such as bacteria and viruses). Attractants Attract pests (for example, to lure an insect or rodent to a trap). (However, food is not considered a pesticide when used as an attractant.) Biocides Kill microorganisms. Biopesticides Biopesticides are certain types of pesticides derived from such natural materials as animals, plants, bacteria, and certain minerals. Disinfectants and sanitizers Kill or inactivate disease-producing microorganisms on inanimate objects. Fungicides Kill fungi (including blights, mildews, molds, and rusts). Fumigants Produce gas or vapor intended to destroy pests in buildings or soil. Herbicides Kill weeds and other plants that grow where they are not wanted. Insecticides 11 Kill insects and other arthropods. Miticides (also called acaricides) Kill mites that feed on plants and animals. Microbial pesticides Microorganisms that kill, inhibit, or out compete pests, including insects or other microorganisms. Molluscicides Kill snails and slugs. Nematicides Kill nematodes (microscopic, worm-like organisms that feed on plant roots). Ovicides Kill eggs of insects and mites. Pheromones Biochemicals used to disrupt the mating behavior of insects. Repellents Repel pests, including insects (such as mosquitoes) and birds. Rodenticides Control mice and other rodents. Chemical Pesticides Many pesticides can be grouped into chemical families. Prominent insecticide families include: Organochlorines, Organophosphates, Carbamates, and Pyrethroids (For further details on Chemical Pesticides see Section III. Method of Action) Natural or Common Source Biopesticides are certain types of pesticides derived from such natural materials as animals, plants, bacteria, and certain minerals. For example, canola oil and 12 baking soda have pesticidal applications and are considered biopesticides.