Understanding Pesticide

Labels for Making Proper

Applications

Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program

Pesticide Safety Education Program
 Understanding Pesticide Labels for
Making Proper Applications

Lisa Blecker and Shannah Whithaus

UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program
Pesticide Safety Education Program
Editors
Cheryl Reynolds, Petr Kosina, and Tunyalee Martin
UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program
Contributors
Sarah Risorto and Maria Alfaro
UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program
Pesticide Safety Education Program
Photographs by Jack Kelly Clark (except where noted below)
UC ANR Communication Services
p. 4. p. 20.
Cheryl Reynolds, UC IPM Suzanne Paisley, UC ANR
p. 15. Communication Services
(a) Cheryl Reynolds, UC IPM p. 21.
(b) Michael L. Poe, UC ANR (a) F. Marty Martino, UC IPM
Communication Services p. 22.
(c) F. Marty Martino, UC IPM Cheryl Reynolds, UC IPM
p. 17.
(b) Cheryl Reynolds, UC IPM
This material is partially supported by NIFA, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, under special project Section 3(d), Integrated Pest
Management.
These pocket cards are meant to help pesticide handlers, applicators,
and safety trainers, as well as Pest Control Advisers (PCAs).
No endorsement of named or illustrated products is intended, nor is
criticism implied of similar products that are not mentioned or illustrated.
 Contents

1 …….What is a Pesticide Label? 17…….Storage and

3 …….When to Read the Label Disposal Directions
5 …….What Pesticide Labels 18…….Warranty
Contain 19…….Directions for Use
5 …….Brand Name 20…….Misuse Statement
6 …….Formulation 21…….Restricted-Entry
7 …….Ingredients Statement
8 …….Registration and 22…….Posting
Establishment Numbers Requirements
9 …….Agricultural Use 23…….Restricted-Use
Requirements Pesticides
10……Manufacturer 24…….Pesticide Resistance
11……Contents 25…….Safety Data Sheet
12……Signal Word 26…….Avoiding Illegal
13……Toxicity Categories Residues
14……First Aid
15……Precautionary Statements
 What is a Pesticide Label?

Pesticide labels are complex legal documents that you

must read and understand before applying pesticides.
Make applications in strict accordance with all label
instructions and state and local regulations. It is the law.
 

The Code of Federal Regulations sets the format for labels

and designates the information they must contain.
 What is a Pesticide Label?

The U.S. EPA* requires

manufacturers to attach
additional fold-out labels,
or booklets, to packages
that are too small to have
all the required information
printed on them. These
booklets, together with the
base label, are the
complete pesticide label.
Before purchasing a
pesticide, make sure you
have the complete label,
including any
accompanying label
booklets.

People who employ pesticide handlers and fieldworkers

in California are required by law to provide unrestricted
access to complete labels and Safety Data Sheets.

*United States Environmental Protection Agency

2
 When to Read the Label
Before buying the pesticide
• Is it registered for the
intended use?
• Are there restrictions at
the application site?
• Can it be used under
current weather
conditions?
• Does it control the life
stage of your pest?
• What personal protective
and application equipment
do you need?

Before mixing and applying the pesticide

• Learn what first aid and medical treatments are necessary if

exposure occurs
• Learn how to mix and safely apply the material
• Take precautions to prevent exposure to people and
nontarget organisms
 When to Read the Label
When storing pesticides
• Keep in original containers in locked areas away from
children
• Take precautions to prevent fire and explosion hazards

Before disposing of unused pesticide and empty

containers
• Prevent environmental contamination and hazards to
people
• Check with the local agricultural commissioner for
restrictions and requirements
4
 What Pesticide Labels Contain
Brand Name. A brand name is the name the manufacturer
gives to the product and is used for all advertising.
 
 What Pesticide Labels Contain
Formulation. Labels usually list the formulation type, such as
emulsifiable concentrate or wettable powder. This information
may be included in the brand name (e.g., Weed Killer EC).

6
 What Pesticide Labels Contain
Ingredients. Pesticide labels list the percentage of active
and other ingredients by weight. “Other ingredients” are all
components of the formulation that do not necessarily have
pesticidal action but may still pose safety or environmental
problems. Active ingredients are listed by their common or
generic name (e.g., chlorothalonil) and their chemical
name (e.g., tetrachloroisophthalonitrile).

When a pesticide contains more than one active ingredient,

the label will state the percentage of each. Manufacturers do
not usually individually identify the names or percentages of
“other ingredients” in the pesticide.
 What Pesticide Labels Contain
Registration and Establishment Numbers. The U.S. EPA
assigns registration numbers to each pesticide. This number
is required when reporting use. An establishment number
identifies the site of manufacture or repackaging and may be
on the pesticide label or the pesticide container itself.
Registration numbers are unique to the specific product. If
the product requires registration in California (but not with
U.S. EPA), the Department of Pesticide Regulation will
assign a California registration number.

8
 What Pesticide Labels Contain

Agricultural Use Requirements. This statement appears

in the Directions for Use section on labels approved for
use in production agriculture, commercial greenhouses
and nurseries, and forests. It refers to the Worker
Protection Standard (40 CFR part 170). You must use the
pesticide according to this standard as well as the
requirements on the pesticide label. Personal protective
equipment (PPE) requirements for early entry workers are
also found here.
 
 What Pesticide Labels Contain
Manufacturer. Pesticide labels always contain the name
and address of the manufacturer of the product.

10
 What Pesticide Labels Contain
Contents. Labels list the net contents, by weight or
liquid volume, contained in the package.
 What Pesticide Labels Contain
Signal Word. Pesticides are assigned a toxicity category
(Category I, Danger to Category IV, no signal word
required). The level of hazard determines the signal word
manufacturers must use on their label.

All pesticides are toxic and should be used with caution.

12
 What Pesticide Labels Contain
Toxicity Categories

I. Danger Poison Peligro Veneno

I. Danger Peligro

II. Warning Aviso

III. Caution Precaución

I. Danger – Poison  high II. Warning  moderate toxicity

toxicity (lethal if swallowed, III. Caution  low toxicity
inhaled, or absorbed through IV. No Signal Word  very low
skin) toxicity
I. Danger  high toxicity
 What Pesticide Labels Contain
First Aid. This statement provides emergency information
and tells when to seek medical attention. It describes first
aid procedures for swallowing, skin and eye exposure, and
inhalation of dust or vapors. This statement also includes a
hotline number.

14
 What Pesticide Labels Contain
Precautionary Statements. Precautionary statements
describe pesticide hazards. This section may include up
to three areas of hazard.

1. Hazards to people and domestic animals

• PPE to wear while handling containers,
mixing, loading, and applying the
product
• Why the pesticide is hazardous
• Adverse effects from exposure
 What Pesticide Labels Contain
Precautionary Statements (Continued)

2. Environmental hazard – Identifies if pesticide is

toxic to nontarget organisms (honey bees, fish,
birds, other wildlife)

3. Physical and chemical hazards

16
 What Pesticide Labels Contain
Storage and Disposal Directions. This section provides
directions for proper storage and disposal of pesticides and
empty pesticide containers.
 What Pesticide Labels Contain

Warranty. Manufacturers usually include a warranty and

disclaimer on their pesticide labels. This section of the label
informs you of your rights as a purchaser and limits the
liability of the manufacturer.

18
 What Pesticide Labels Contain

Directions for Use. It is a violation of the law if you do not

follow the directions for use. These instructions tell you how to
apply the pesticide – how much to use, where to use it, and
when to apply it. Directions also include the preharvest
intervals (PHI) for all crops if appropriate.

Directions for use include

• Target pests of the given pesticide
• Crops, plant species, animals, or other sites to which you
can apply the pesticides
• Special use restrictions
 What Pesticide Labels Contain

Misuse Statement. The misuse statement reminds users to

apply pesticides according to label directions.

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 What Pesticide Labels Contain
Restricted-Entry Statement. Usually a period of time must
elapse before anyone can enter an area treated with
pesticides unless they are wearing PPE. This period is the
restricted-entry interval (REI) and may vary according to the
crop or site being treated and geographic location. The REI
statement is most commonly found in the Agricultural Use
Requirements. Some uses in California require longer
intervals than those listed on the label. This information can
be found in the California Code of Regulations Section 6772.
 What Pesticide Labels Contain
Posting Requirements. Sometimes you must post warning
signs outside of treated areas to notify workers and others
that they cannot enter during the REI. This information is
found in the Agricultural Use Requirements. Also check
current state local laws to determine posting requirements.
Local offices of county agricultural commissioners have this
information.

22
 Restricted-Use Pesticides
Statement of Use Classification. The U.S. EPA classifies
pesticides as either general-use or restricted-use. Pesticides
without this statement are general-use, except where special
state restrictions apply.

Federal restricted-
use pesticides will
have a special
statement printed on
the label in a
prominent place. In
order to determine if
a pesticide is a
California restricted
material, refer to
Title 3, California
Code of Regulations
Section 6400.
 Pesticide Resistance

Resistance management
information may be
included on some labels
but is not required. This
information helps you
rotate pesticides based on
their Mode of Action
(MOA).

Example pesticide MOA classification found on labels

For more information on resistance, visit the

UC IPM website http://ipm.ucanr.edu
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 Safety Data Sheet
In addition to the label, review the pesticide’s Safety Data
Sheet (SDS) to get details about pesticide hazards.

Information found on SDSs include

• Signal word
• Chemical characteristics of hazardous
ingredients

• Fire and explosion hazards

• Health hazards

• Pictograms that illustrate specific human and

environmental hazards

• Reactivity and incompatibility characteristics

• Storage information

• Emergency spill or leak cleanup procedures

• LD50 and LC50 ratings (common measures of
acute toxicity used to determine signal
words) for test animals

• Emergency phone numbers of the

manufacturer
 Avoiding Illegal Residues

Follow all label instructions to ensure safe and legal

applications.

To avoid illegal pesticide residues, pay close attention to

• Application rate
• Use instructions
• Preharvest interval (PHI)
• Timing of applications
• Placement of applications

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Notes