Be Careful with Pesticides!
Pesticides must be mixed, applied and disposed of properly or they can pollute the environment. Many pesticides cannot be removed by the Wastewater Treatment Plant so they make their way into our waterways. The city is fined for every detected violation and more importantly, the animals and plants suffer!
Take extra steps when you work with any chemical pesticides:
- Containers used to mix pesticides must be treated as hazardous waste. When dry, they can be placed in your garbage. If any mixing container or bottle contains even a tiny bit of chemical, if it is triple rinsed you may place it in your trash. Otherwise, take empty containers to the WPWMA.
- Do not spray or apply pesticides when rain is imminent.
Rain can wash these chemicals off of the plants and into the soil or storm drains where they pollute our waterways and are dangerous to animal, plant and human life.
- Do not pour unused pesticides down a drain in your house, into the toilet, down the storm drain, into the gutter or onto soil and gravel.
Pour unused chemicals/pesticides into a sealable container (like a milk jug or unbreakable jar with a tight sealing lid), label the container with the pesticide name and date and then take it to WPWMA for proper disposal.
- Control, contain and clean-up any spilled pesticides with kitty litter.
Collect the material into a bag, seal and dispose of at WPWMA.
- Wear protective clothing!
Do wear eye coverings, gloves, long sleeves, pants and non-absorbent shoes. Do NOT wear an absorbent face mask or scarf that can soak up chemicals.
There are alternatives! Try natural or least-toxic control methods. You will find many options at your local supply store.
Links
http://www.ourwaterourworld.org/ (Ways to manage pests from Bay Area Stormwater Management Association)
www.sacstormwater.org/StormwaterPollutionSolutions/PestControlProgram/PestControlProgram.htm (WATERWISE pesticide alternatives from Sacramento Stormwater Coalition)
http://npic.orst.edu/pets.html Pesticide use around pets
http://npic.orst.edu/ (National Pesticide Information Center - fact sheets and reference documents)
www.epa.gov/pesticides/about/index.htm (EPA - pesticide information, regulation, and links)
www.epa.gov/pesticides/regulating/disposal.htm (EPA - Safe pesticide disposal, including Español)
http://npic.orst.edu/index.html (National Pesticide Information Center – EPA and OSU Cooperative)
www.sacramentostormwater.org (Sacramento Stormwater Quality Partnership – See Waterwise for pesticide alternatives)
http://ohioline.osu.edu/b745/b745_11.html (guidelines on storage life for pesticides)
http://www.epa.gov/opp00001/factsheets/chemicals/diazinon-factsheet.htm (information about Diazinon, a banned substance)
http://www.bugsaway.com/diazinon.htm (alternatives to Diazinon and Dursban)
http://citybugs.tamu.edu/FastSheets/Ent-1046.html (Choosing the right pesticide)
http://www.cityofencinitas.org/NR/rdonlyres/B3B2AF79-12DF-4F63-8754-FC752E605DB9/0/sw_diaz_eng.pdf (Diazinon Fact Sheet from the City of Encinitas)
http://extoxnet.orst.edu/pips/diazinon.htm (information about Diazinon and product names that contain Diazinon)
http://gardening.about.com/od/gardenproblems/a/Diazinon.htm (Gardening use of Diazinon)
