How to Reduce Harm from Pesticide Use 269
Dry clothes away from where pesticides are sprayed. Do not dry clothes
outside when pesticides are being sprayed nearby or from airplanes.
Before washing other clothes in the washing basin, clean it with fresh water
and detergent.
Store work clothes separately from other clothing.
Do not enter a field right after spraying
Wait until sprays have dried and dusts have settled before entering
a field. Find out what pesticides have been used and do not enter the
field until it is safe. See the pesticide label to find out how soon after
spraying it is safe to enter a field (see page 276).
Storing pesticides
Pesticides must be stored in a safe, dry place. Pesticides are often left in
storage for a long time, causing their containers to leak. Finding dead cats,
birds, and other animals around buildings where pesticides are stored is often
the first sign that chemicals have begun to seep into the ground and water.
Keep pesticides in their proper containers
Do not put pesticides in animal feed sacks, drink bottles, or water buckets.
Make sure pesticide containers are tightly closed and stored upright. Check
them regularly for breaks, leaks, and weak spots.
Label pesticide containers
If you buy small amounts of pesticides and put them in other
containers, label the containers with the name of the pesticide and a
picture that means “danger,” for example a skull and crossbones. Do
not use those containers for anything else.
Store pesticides out of the reach of children, in a locked
NO!
cabinet or container, away from food or feed.
Transport pesticides carefully
When you transport or move pesticides, put them in the
back of the truck or in the car trunk. Tie the containers
down securely so they cannot move or fall over. Do not
carry pesticides in your food basket or on your head. Do not
let children buy or carry pesticides.
Get rid of empty pesticide containers safely
Never use pesticide containers for drinking, washing,
storing food, or anything else. Do not use plastic
pesticide wraps for raincoats or any other personal use.
The best thing to do with empty pesticide containers
is to make holes in them so no one will reuse them,
and then bury them.
Never use pesticide
containers to carry water
for drinking or washing.
A Community Guide to Environmental Health 2012