Environmental Concerns

1. Environmental Concerns Montana State University Pesticide Safety Education Program

2. What is this?

3. Union Carbide Pesticide Manufacturing Plant December 3rd, 1984 8,000 initial dead 15,000 more within 10 years 500,000 suffer injuries water wells near the site show overall chemical contamination to be 500 times higher than the maximum limits recommended by the World Health Organization. cancer, genetic defects (birth defects), and liver and kidney damage. Bhopal, India Disaster

4. Acute and Chronic Problems • This pesticide caused blindness for many of those who survived. • However, how could we have saved the lives of potentially 15,000 more lives from chronic effects of this disaster (cancer, etc..)

9. How does this relate to you We drink well water 50% of Montana Citizens drink well water 95% of those living in agricultural communities Restricted Use Applicators of Major Concern in Montana Ag. Areas You are the greatest risk factor for your own health

10. Understanding your pesticides characteristics: #1 • Solubility • Is the measure of the ability of a pesticide to dissolve in a solvent, usually water. • Ex. Higher solubility  More leaching

11. Examples of solubilities of various insecticides Texas A&M online bulletin http://entowww.tamu.edu/extension/bulletins/b-6050.html

12. Understand your environment related to the solubility of your pesticide • Precipitation following your spray activity • High ground water

13. Understanding your pesticides characteristics: #2 • Persistence • The ability of a pesticide to remain present and active in its original form for an extended period prior to breaking down. • Ex. Does not break down  present at wrong sites

14. Acie C. Waldron, Pesticides and Groundwater Contamination, Ohio State University Extension Bulletin 820, 1992 available at <http://ohioline.ag.ohio-state.edu/b820/index.html>.

15. Understand your environment related to the persistence of your pesticide • Hydrolysis: The breakdown of chemicals with water increases in soils with a high pH. • If > 8.0 (highly alkaline)  lower the pH for better results: • Use Buffercide, Bufferplus, Unifilm B, or Nutra Plus. • Recommend water within a range of 4 – 7 • Microbial Action - Process by which chemicals are degraded by bacteria or fungi • Photodegradation: the breakdown of chemicals by sunlight

16. Understanding your pesticides characteristics - #3 • Adsorption • Process whereby a pesticide binds to soil particles. • Occurs because of an attraction between the chemical and soil particles. • Oil soluble pesticides usually bind more • Water soluble pesticides bind less to soil • + charged pesticides bind more to – charged soil.

17. Understand your environment related to the adsorption of your pesticide

18. Infiltration and Texture

19. Types of Soil Texture & Adsorption / Infiltration

20. RATE and Infiltration

21. Understanding your pesticides characteristics - #4 • Volatility • Tendency of a pesticide to turn into a gas or vapor. • dividing the pesticide's vapor pressure by its water solubility = volatility Ex. Volatilization of a high volatile 2, 4-D ester is 24 times greater than of a low volatile 2, 4-D ester.

22. Understand your environment related to the volatility of your pesticide • Volatility is increased by? • High temperature • Ester 2, 4-D volatilization tripled with a temperature increase from 60 to 80 degrees. • Wise not to spray in temperatures over 80 degrees F. • Low Relative Humidity • Increases volatilization

23. Pesticide Movement: Leaching Potential

24. Pesticide Movement: Runoff Risk

25. Detected in Montana?

26. Pesticide Movement: Drift Risk

27. What effects Drift • High Temperatures • Do not spray in temperatures exceeding 85 degrees F. Questionable over 80. • Wind • Do not spray in wind speeds >8 mph • Volatilization potential of your pesticide • Nozzle height • Spray droplet size

28. Nozzles and Drift Larger diameter nozzles decrease drift!

29. Overview: What factors are at play in the movement of pesticides in the environment? #1 – Pesticide Factors -Solubility -Rate -Persistence -Volatility -Adsorption #2 – Soil Characteristics -Shallow Ground Water -pH -Texture of Soil #3 – Environmental Conditions -Precipitation -Temperature -Humidity -Wind

30. How do we reduce risk? #1 – Mixing & Loading Locations #2 - Filling Tanks #3 – Read Label

31. Any Problems?

32. Mixing/Loading Sites

33. Watch out for Back Siphoning when Filling Tanks

34. Read Label

35. Picloram

36. Some chemicals are labeled for use on Riparian areas 2.4-D Aquatic Rodeo Banvel Escort, Tellar Krenite Plateau Roundup Forefront Milestone

37. Spill – What do we do? Stepped Concerns Safety (protect yourself) Control Containment Reporting Cleanup Clean up Absorbent Shovel Bags Emergency Contacts When do you call MDA? If over 5 gallons of mixed solution or 100lb dry

38. RECAP Remember, your family members may be the most at risk. Elderly, and children at most risk

39. Local Update: National Park Service Study DDT and Dieldrin found in many national parks including Glacier National Park, MT: Air Contaminants Study Should we be concerned?

40. No! • DDT and other organochlorines are found around the world. • DDT found in ice cores in antarctica • DDT is within everyone in this room • The real question is how much!

41. Air Contaminants Study(Glacier National Park) DDT and Dieldrin delisted by the EPA in the 60’s and 70’s. DDT Exceeded Human Risk Threshold for subsistence fisherman (eating 19 meals of fish per month) Dieldrin Exceeded Human Risk Threshold for 2.3 meals of fish per month. Chlorinated Hydrocarbon Persistence, worldwide distribution Practice Safe Use: Follow Product Label

42. Contact Information Montana State University Pesticide Safety Education Program www.pesticides.montana.edu