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Instructor’s Guide
PESTICIDE LABELS AND FORMULATIONS TRAINING
(Approximately 50 minutes long)
PREPARATION:
Before the training, you need to purchase the items for the simulated pesticide
formulations demonstration (see page 3).
You also need to make photocopies of all handouts and group them together to hand
out at the beginning of the training.
For the labels handouts, you will have to choose two labels of pesticides that are
commonly used in your area. Write “HANDOUT 3A” AND “HANDOUT 3B” on them
before you photocopy them.
GIVE ALL HANDOUTS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TRAINING:
HANDOUT #1 – “Comparisons of Pesticide Formulations”
HANDOUT #2 – Signal Word Exercise
HANDOUT #3A & 3B – Labels (make copies of 2 labels commonly used in your area)
HANDOUT #4 – “Supervision Requirements” (this should be a two-sided handout)
HANDOUT #5 – Take Home Quiz (this should be a two-sided handout)
USE THE POWERPOINT SLIDE SHOW TO GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE TRAINING:
Use the PowerPoint slides to guide you through the training. The slides are self
explanatory, with the exception of the following slides:
DDT SLIDE:
Advertisement from the 1950s.
Remember the good old days. Pesticides were “Magic Bullets”:
[1] Effective [2] Cheap, [3] Did no harm to anyone or anything except pests.
ASK PARTICIPANTS: What has happened since then?
POSSIBLE ANSWERS: They have been linked to harm to the environment, wildlife, and
humans.
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GRAMOXONE LABEL SLIDE:
ASK PARTICIPANTS: What kinds of information can you get from the label?
POSSIBLE ANSWERS: Pests controlled, crops it can be used on, hazards to wildlife,
PPE, level of toxicity, first aid, REI, etc.
“THE LABEL IS THE LAW” SLIDE:
Pause at this slide and complete the SIMULATED PESTICIDE FORMULATIONS
demonstration (see page 3). At the end of the demonstration, refer participants to
HANDOUT #1 (“Comparisons of Pesticide Formulations”).
SIGNAL WORD EXERCISE SLIDE:
Refer participants to HANDOUT #2 (“Signal Word Exercise”). Have them complete the
slide, then show the answers via the PowerPoint slide.
Danger+ Skull & Crossbones = Highly toxic. LD50 of 50 mg/kg or less.
Danger (no Skull & Crossbones) = Bad for skin or eyes, or environmental hazard
Warning = LD50 of 50 to 499 mg/kg
Caution = LD50 of > 500 mg/kg
PESTICIDE LABEL EXERCISE SLIDES:
Refer participants to HANDOUTS #3A and #3B (Labels of your choice). Go through all
the questions for each label.
SPECIAL LOCAL NEEDS SLIDE:
If you have an internet connection, you can click on the hyperlink at the bottom of the
slide to go directly to the Special Local Needs website.
SECTION 18 SLIDE:
If you have an internet connection, you can click on the hyperlink at the bottom of the
slide to go directly to the Section 18 website.
WHAT KIND OF SUPERVISION? SLIDE:
Refer participants to
HANDOUT #4 (“Supervision Requirements for Unlicensed Applictors”).
GET LABELS OFF THE WEB SLIDE:
If you have an internet connection, click on the hyperlinks to “test drive” the web sites.
FOOTPRINT SLIDE:
If you have an internet connection, click on the hyperlink to “test drive” the web site.
FINISH THE TRAINING BY HANDING OUT THE “TAKE HOME QUIZ”:
Refer participants to HANDOUT #5 (“Take Home Quiz on Pesticide Labels”).
All the answers are on the back side, so they can take it home with them if there is not
enough time to complete the quiz during the training.
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SIMULATED PESTICIDE FORMULATIONS
Items needed:
Water
Salt
Pepto Bismol
1 pint of whole milk or half-and-half
5 plastic spoons to mix the “pesticides”
Grape Nuts Cereal
Karo Syrup
Cocoa Powder
6 jars or clear plastic glasses
Fill 5 glasses about half full with water, and put some grape nuts cereal in the sixth
glass. Recruit 5 volunteers to mix about a teaspoon of each ingredient into the water.
Have them describe and discuss the characteristics of each formula as they mix it:
WP = Wettable Powder (Cocoa powder): Powder can be a hazard (dusty). Does not
dissolve (not water soluble) so agitation is required. Tend to have low phytotoxicity.
F = Flowable (Pepto Bismal): Like a wetable powder that has been mixed with water,
and then emulsified in oil – thus needs agitation. Tend to be phytotoxic.
NOTE: EMULSION = Droplets of petroleum-based liquids (oils) suspended in water.
S = Soluble liquid (Karo syrup): Show how it dissolves in water. Not abrasive, low
phytotoxicity.
S = Soluble powder (Salt): Show how it dissolves in water. Not abrasive, low
phytotoxicity.
EC = Emulsifiable Concentrate (Milk): Dissolves in oil. Emulsion. Suspension.
Requires agitation. Not abrasive. Phytotoxic.
G = Granules (Grape Nuts Cereal): Do not add to water! Baits for rodents. Also aquatic
weed killers that get down to the root zone. Also sometimes other herbicides.
NOTE: Phytotoxicity can be a problem with some crops if you are mixing two pesticides
that both have phytotoxicity.
Ask participants: When mixing, what is the order we put the pesticides in the tank?
WP → F → S → EC.
1st WP
2nd F
3rd S (both powder and liquid)
4th EC
NOTE: ALWAYS fill tank about 1/4 full with water before adding pesticides.
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SUGGESTIONS FOR MAKING THIS TRAINING YOUR OWN, MAKING IT “FRESH”,
CHANGING IT SO IT DOES NOT JUST BECOME A REPETITION OF LAST YEAR’S
TRAINING:
Change to a different set of labels each year. Ask questions about three labels instead
of two.
Change the questions you ask about the labels.
Ask things like what does the label say about drift,
what is the EPA Establishment number as well as the Registration number,
what is the usefulness of the EPA numbers,
should you induce vomiting or not if it is swallowed,
What is the PHI for different crops,
etc.
Also, you could talk about how the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act, and
some State laws are more strict than the label, so the label is a basic starting point, but
we need to be more careful than what the label requires.
Also, as many labels point out, drift is a function of more than just wind speed. You
need to consider temperature, relative humidity, and other things as well.
Spend more time visiting the CDMS, Section 18, and Special Local Needs websites.
You could change some of the questions on the take home quiz.
You could convert the quiz into a pre-test given at sign in, and then hand out the
answers at the end of the training.
You could pose hypothetical “supervision” questions that reflect real-life situations that
many of your audience might encounter.
If you have any other ideas or examples of things that have worked for you, please let
me know!
Thanks,
Tim Stock stockt@science.oregonstate.edu