FL Pesticide Applicator key terms

The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act is the federal law that requires pesticides to be registered by EPA and governs their labeling, sale, distribution, and use in the United States.

A unique number assigned to each registered pesticide product and printed on its label, identifying the manufacturer and product and showing the product is federally registered.

A pesticide that EPA determines may cause unreasonable harm to people or the environment even when used as directed, and that may be applied only by or under the direct supervision of a certified applicator.

A person who has passed the required examinations and been licensed by Florida to apply, or to supervise the application of, restricted-use pesticides within the state.

The state agency that licenses pesticide applicators, registers pesticide products sold in Florida, and enforces Florida pesticide law, often through its Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement.

A state-issued registration that allows sale and use of a pesticide product for an additional use in Florida when a pest problem is not adequately controlled by federally registered products.

The maximum pesticide residue level that EPA allows in or on a food or feed commodity at harvest; residues above the tolerance make the crop illegal to sell.

The label is the printed information attached to the pesticide container; labeling includes the label plus all other written or graphic material that accompanies or explains the product, such as brochures and supplemental directions.

Using a pesticide in a way that is inconsistent with its label or with FIFRA requirements; misuse is a violation of federal and Florida law and can result in civil or criminal penalties.

An EPA regulation that protects agricultural workers and pesticide handlers by requiring safety training, notification of applications, decontamination supplies, and limits on entry into treated areas.

The period after a pesticide application during which entering the treated area is prohibited without required protective equipment, as stated on the product label.

Clothing and gear such as gloves, coveralls, boots, respirators, and eye protection that the label requires a handler to wear to reduce pesticide exposure.

A word on the label, either DANGER, WARNING, or CAUTION, that indicates the relative acute toxicity of the product, with DANGER signaling the greatest hazard to people.

The dose of a pesticide, usually expressed in milligrams per kilogram of body weight, that kills half of a test animal population; lower values mean greater acute toxicity.

The blocking of an enzyme needed for normal nerve function by organophosphate and carbamate insecticides, which can cause poisoning and is monitored by blood tests in exposed workers.

A memory aid for common signs of organophosphate or carbamate poisoning: salivation, lacrimation, urination, diarrhea, gastrointestinal upset, and emesis (vomiting); these signs call for immediate medical attention.

A document from the manufacturer summarizing a product's hazards, first aid, handling, and spill response; it supplements but does not replace the pesticide label as a source of directions.

A barrier or structure, such as a curbed floor or tub, placed under pesticide containers so leaks and spills are captured instead of reaching soil, drains, or water.

A container-cleaning procedure in which the empty pesticide container is filled about one-third full, rinsed three times with the rinse water added to the spray tank, then punctured and recycled or disposed of properly.

The way a pesticide enters the body: through the skin (dermal), mouth (oral), lungs (inhalation), or eyes; dermal exposure is the most common route for pesticide handlers.

The movement of pesticide spray, dust, or vapor off the target site by air currents, which can injure non-target plants, animals, and people and may violate the label.

The conversion of a liquid or soil-bound pesticide into a vapor that can move off-site; it is increased by high temperatures, low humidity, and windy conditions.

The downward movement of a pesticide through the soil with water, which can contaminate groundwater, especially when the product is highly soluble and persistent.

The movement of pesticide-contaminated water across the soil surface into ditches, streams, or ponds, often after rain or irrigation on sloped or compacted ground.

The buildup of a pesticide in an organism's body over time because it is taken in faster than it is eliminated; the chemical can then be passed along the food chain.

Persistence is how long a pesticide remains active in the environment; it is often described by half-life, the time required for half of the applied amount to break down.

Injury to plants caused by a pesticide, showing as leaf burn, stunting, discoloration, or distortion; it may result from overdosing, drift, tank contamination, or sensitive varieties.

Pollution that comes from a specific, identifiable place such as a mixing pad, spill, or container dump site, rather than being spread broadly across the landscape.

A decision-making approach that combines pest identification, monitoring, thresholds, sanitation, biological and cultural controls, and judicious pesticide use to manage pests with the least risk.

The pest population level at which control action is needed to prevent unacceptable damage or loss; scouting counts are compared with this threshold before treating.

The inherited ability of a pest population to survive a pesticide dose that once killed it; it develops fastest when the same mode of action is used repeatedly.

The way a pesticide interferes with a pest's biology, such as blocking a nerve signal or inhibiting an enzyme; knowing it helps rotate products and manage resistance.

The use of living natural enemies such as predators, parasites, and pathogens to reduce pest populations; it works best alongside other IPM tactics and careful pesticide selection.

The process of measuring and adjusting application equipment so it delivers the intended amount of pesticide uniformly over a known area, verified by collecting and measuring nozzle output.

A nozzle type that produces a tapered, fan-shaped spray pattern and is commonly used for broadcast herbicide and insecticide applications on boom sprayers.

A chemical added to the spray tank to improve pesticide performance, such as a surfactant that helps the spray stick to and spread over leaf surfaces.

A herbicide applied to the soil before weeds emerge, forming a barrier that kills germinating seedlings; it usually provides little control of already established weeds.

A pesticide that forms a gas and is used in enclosed spaces or under sealed covers to control pests in soil, structures, or stored products; it requires special training and equipment.