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Keeping Pest Control Products
Out of Creeks, Rivers and the Ocean
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This brochure is being distributed in order
to reduce the impacts of pesticides on water quality. It was produced
with support from the Orange County Storm Water Program, the Coalition
for Urban/Rural Environmental Stewardship (CURES) and a 319(h) grant
from the State Water Resources Control Board.
Before Buying Pest Control Products
• Identify the pest.
• Decide if pest control products are the best control measure
or if there are alternatives available.
• Are integrated pest management guidelines available for this
pest?
• Read the product label:
Is the pest listed on the
label?
Is it the best product for
the pest?
Before Mixing Your Sprayer
• Read the label carefully.
• Buy only enough pesticide to treat the area affected by the
pest.
• Check the weather and don’t apply if it’s windy
or about to rain
• Measure the area you’re treating.
• Calculate how much spray to mix.
• Wear long sleeve shirt, long pants, shoes and any other protective
equipment listed on the label and follow all the label precautions.
• Be prepared for spills and know how to clean them up.
When You’re Ready To Spray
• Mix and load spray in an area
where any spilled pesticide will not be able to drain or be washed
away into storm drains, ditches, streams, ponds or other bodies
of water.
• Mix sprayer on grass, not the sidewalk or driveway.
• Mix only as much as needed.
When You’re Spraying
• AVOID spraying in or near storm
drains, ditches, streams, and ponds!
• Leave an untreated strip around these areas to protect the
water.
When You’re Done
• Never dump leftovers down any
drain; Save for a future application.
• Triple-rinse sprayer and apply rinsewater to treated area.
• Take any old or unwanted pesticides to a Household Hazardous
Waste Collection Center (714) 834-6752.
IPM... Outsmarting Pests While Protecting
Water
With Integrated Pest Management (IPM),
homeowners use common sense and nature to make it difficult for
pests to survive. IPM techniques include cultural practices (such
as mulching to prevent weeds), encouraging natural enemies (good
bugs), and judicious use of pest control products.
• First, identify your pest problem.
To find the best solution, you need to pin down the problem. Consult
gardening books, your county cooperative extension office or your
local nursery.
• Decide how much pest control is necessary. If you can live
with some pest damage, you can avoid intensive pest control product
treatments.
• Choose an effective option. Try
various types of controls first: washing bugs off plants, pruning
diseased parts of plants. If you need to use pest control products,
choose one that targets the problem and poses the least hazard.
• Finally, it’s easier to prevent pests than to control
them.
Think Ahead
Original graphics developed with support
from:
Coalition For Urban/Rural Environmental Stewardship (CURES)
Western Crop Protection Association (WCPA)
Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment (RISE)
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