Chem-News April 1990
DATE: April 9, 1990
TO: Those Interested in Pesticide Information
FROM: William G. Smith
Senior Extension Associate
SECTION 18, EMERGENCY EXEMPTION, UPDATE
1. Request: Cyromazine (Trigard 75% WP) on onions to control
onion maggots.
Status: Still being reviewed by DEC
2. Request: Imazethapyr (Pursuit) on snap beans and dry beans
for control of broadleaf weeds
Status: Federal Registration has been granted; however this
must undergo a New York State review prior to state
registration and this could take 1 year or longer.
3. Request: Sodium flualuminate (Kryocide, Prokill) on potatoes
to control the Colorado potato beetle
Status: EPA review still pending
4. Request: Pendimethalin (Prowl) to control weeds in onions,
including pearl onions.
Status: EPA review still pending
5. Request: ProGro (carboxin/thiram) on onion seed to control
onion smut disease
Status: EPA approval: 3/9/90
6. Request: Metalaxyl (Ridomil) on American ginseng for
control of root rot
Status: DEC review pending
7. Request: Vinclozolin (Ronilan) on snap beans for the control
of gray mold.
Status: DEC review pending
8. Request: oxyfluorfen (Goal) under clear plastic to control
weeds in melons, cucumbers and summer squash.
Status: The request and company approval (letter) were
received too late (2/27/90) for the DEC and EPA
review process (approximately three months). The
request will be resubmitted for the 1991 use season
(if needed).
W. Smith, Chemicals-Pesticides Program
PEST MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS ON CENET
The following 1990 Pest Management Recommendations are now accessible on
the Cornell Cooperative Extension Network (CENET):
Field Crops
Commercial Turfgrass
Stored Grain
Small Fruit
Vegetable Crops (anticipated to be on-line by 4/10/90)
At the present time you can access the recommendations from the CHEM-
NEWS program in CENET. In the future, they will be accessible directly from
the CENET Main Menu.
W. Smith, Chemicals-Pesticides Program
HELENA PAYS LARGEST FIFRA FINE EVER
Helena Chemical Co. has paid the largest fine ever imposed by the
Environmental Protection Agency under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act, according to the company's lawyer, Dennis Jenson.
On January 24, 1990, EPA denied the company's request for
reconsideration of the agency's November 16, 1989 order imposing $117,400 in
civil penalties for 27 counts. The Memphis-based company decided not to
appeal (to a federal court)and paid the full amount.
EPA filed the original complaint in April 1985 seeking $135,800 in fines
for 27 sales counts and two counts of falsifying sales records. Helena was
charged with selling the restricted use pesticides paraquat, parathion, and
Temik to uncertified applicators.
Chemical Regulation Reporter, Feb. 9, 1990.
FINAL FARMWORKER PROTECTION REGULATIONS
Final EPA farmworker protection regulations are expected to be issued in
early summer of this year. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has not
reviewed the regulations, and, as one EPA official said last week, "No one on
either side likes them (the regulations)."
Pesticide & Toxic Chemical News, 3/28/90
ALAR TOLERANCES REVOKED, REDUCED FOR INTERIM PERIOD
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reduced and/or revoked the
pesticide tolerances for residues of the growth regulator daminozide (Alar).
The agency reduced the tolerance for residues in or on apples and apple
products from 20 parts per million (p.p.m.) to 5 p.p.m. (this tolerance will
expire in November 1990). Then, the apple tolerance will decline to 1 p.p.m.
with ultimate expiration on May 31, 1991.
Although it declined to extend the apple tolerance beyond the May 31,
1991 date, an EPA official said, "If any of the commenters develop and submit
data to substantiate the length of time that processed apple products stay in
the market chain, then EPA will consider a further tolerance extension or
other action." Requests for such extensions should be submitted with
additional data, the agency said.
Tolerances for residues in or on tomatoes and in meat, milk, and eggs
were revoked.
Other pesticide tolerances for residues of daminozide (Alar) were
reduced last week to 2.5 p.p.m. in or on grapes; 7.5 p.p.m. in or on
nectarines and peaches; 15 p.p.m. in or on sweet and sour cherries; 4 p.p.m.
in or on peanuts, peanut hay, and peanut hulls; and 5 p.p.m. in or on pears.
These lower tolerances will expire May 31, 1991. Previous pesticide
tolerances for these commodities ranged from 10 p.p.m. to 55 p.p.m.
At the same time, EPA revoked the daminozide food additive tolerance of
3 p.p.m. in concentrated tomato products, and the feed additive tolerances of
10 p.p.m. in tomato pomace and 90 p.p.m. in peanut meal.
Pesticide & Toxic Chemical News, 3/28/90
Federal Register, 3/19/90
TOLERANCES SET FOR METSULFURON METHYL (ESCORT) AND IMAZETHAPYR (PURSUIT)
Pesticide tolerances were established for residues of metsulfuron methyl
(Escort) of 0.5 p.p.m. in kidney of cattle, goats, horses and sheep; and 15.0
p.p.m. in or on grass fodder, forage and hay. The tolerances had been
petitioned by du Pont.
A pesticide tolerance was established for residues of imazethapyr
(Pursuit) of 0.1 p.p.m. in or on legume vegetables as had been petitioned by
American Cyanamid. This federal tolerance means that EPA will officially
withdraw the New York State emergency exemption request that was submitted
earlier (see above).
W. Smith, Chemicals-Pesticides Program
CPDA URGES SUPERFUND-LIKE PESTICIDE CONTAINER RECYCLING PROGRAM
A national plastic pesticide container collection and recycling program
with Superfund features -- including fees paid by registrants for containers
of agricultural pesticides larger than one gallon -- was proposed earlier this
month by Warren Stickle, President, Chemical Producers and Distributors
(CPDA), at the meeting of the Association of American Pesticide Control
Officials (AAPCO).
Key elements in the proposal included: enforcement shared by EPA and
states with states having the primary responsibility; recycling at the county
level funded by federal grants for equipment; encourage recycling with
incentives such as a 25% rebate of the original container fee, and precautions
to assure that the recycling sites do not become waste generators.
The CPDA president emphasized that "the entire program could be
supported by fees paid by pesticide registrants."
He estimated that the program could help recycle as much a 40 million
pounds of plastic per year.
Pesticide & Toxic Chemical News, 3/28/90
NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL URGES 'TOP-TO-BOTTOM' REVISION OF PESTICIDE PROGRAM
Pesticides containing known or probable carcinogens that are used for
"aesthetic purposes," like lawn care, should be banned, according to New York
Attorney General Robert Abrams, who said he will be bringing a strong message
of pesticide policy reform to Congress. Abrams was scheduled to testify on
lawn care pesticide practices on March 28 at a Senate Environment and Public
Works subcommittee hearing.
"The risks posed by these carcinogens are not outweighed by the benefits
of a picture-perfect green lawn," Abrams said to a National Coalition Against
the Misuse of Pesticides (NCAMP) conference in Washington, D.C. "People, not
pesticides, should get the benefit of the doubt," he said.
Abrams, who has sued ChemLawn in New York for allegedly false,
misleading and deceptive advertising in the first case of its kind, called on
Congress to clarify that federal rules governing pesticide advertising may be
enforced against commercial lawn care applicators and not only pesticide
manufacturers. He said a citizen suit provision would beef up enforcement of
false and deceptive safety claims.
Commercial lawn care customers get information on the safety of these
chemicals from two places, he said. "One is the pesticide label and the other
is the advertising by lawn care companies and manufacturers of retail
pesticides. Pesticide labels are woefully inadequate, and the industry's
self-serving ads even worse," according to the state attorney general.
In revamping the pesticide labels, Abrams said the labels should contain
simple language and should state clearly that registration is "not a
government guarantee that lawn pesticide-use is free of risk." Consumers are
left in the dark, he said, because a registered pesticide could be under
investigation by the EPA for health and environmental impacts.
Thirdly, EPA should ensure that all purchasers of pesticides and
customers of lawn care services receive legible copies of the labels which are
written in plain language. Customers should receive, prior to application,
the labels for all pesticides that may be used on their lawns and, following
application, which pesticides were used on their lawns.
To end land burial of pesticides and their residues, Abrams called on
EPA to remove label language that permits pesticide users to bury containers,
whether full or empty, on their own property. EPA is due to report to
Congress by the end of this year on this problem, he said, adding that the
report should recommend a program for either recycling and reusing containers
or disposing of them properly.
Finally, Abrams said, the revamped label should never be used as a
shield from liability for damages resulting form the application of these
pesticides -- "even when the pesticide is used in accordance with label
directions."
Abrams said he is working on two bills for consideration in the New York
legislature: one bill would require commercial applicators to give advance
notice to neighbors of lawn care customers before pesticides are applied, and
another would require supermarkets to display the names of post-harvest
pesticides applied to produce.
Pesticide & Toxic Chemical News, 3/28/90
EBDC COMMENT PERIOD WILL BE REOPENED FOR RESIDUE DATA ON SOME CROPS
EPA will reopen the comment period for submission of EBDC residue and
benefits data on certain crops for which an intent to support a registration
has been shown. This will be done in a Federal Register notice, EPA officials
noted last week.
Comments filed at the March 20 deadline were predominantly from apple
growers, some of which urged retention of EBDCs under modified labeling to
reduce exposure.
Pesticide & Toxic Chemical News, 3/28/90
LISA, BIOTECHNOLOGY BILL INTRODUCED BY SEN. LEAHY (D-VT.)
A bill, S 2334, to promote research on and use of alternative
agriculture methods and biotechnology was introduced on March 26, 1990 by
Democrat Senators Leahy (Vt.), Daschle (S.D.), Harkin (La.) and Kohl (Wis.).
Senator Leahy wants the legislation to be incorporated into the farm bill.
One of the five titles of the bill would force USDA to shift research
dollars spent on the development of herbicide-resistant plants to research,
including other biotechnology research, focused on alternative weed control
systems which encourage reduced use of herbicides."
The proposal would amend FIFRA to provide that extension agents could
advise farmers to use less than labeled amounts or frequency of pesticide
applications.
S 2334 would require USDA's extension agents to be trained in
sustainable agriculture methods. According to the measure, "No less than 50%
of a state's extension specialists must attend the intensive study program and
no less than 20% of the state's nonspecialists must attend the workshop
training by Sept. 30, 1995." Workshop training programs would be supported by
competitive grants.
A summary of the bill noted that $40 million a year would be used for
low-input sustainable agriculture research and education. It added, "Of that
amount, no less than $15 million or no less than two-thirds of any
appropriation, whichever is greater, shall be used to carry out the national
LISA program. The remaining funds shall be allocated for the state-federal
matching program."
Pesticide and Toxic Chemical News, 3/28/90.
CORE MANUAL INSTRUCTORS GUIDE
With luck and a good tail wind, a new edition of the "Core" manual
should be available for distribution about July 1, 1990. Additional good news
is that we are developing an Instructor's Guide to the Core Manual. This
project is bound to come out later than the core, but it is in the works. We
are looking for input for the Instructor's Guide from those of you doing
pesticide applicator training (PAT). Call, write or send a CENET message to
Ron Gardner if you are interested in helping in the development of this new
document.
R. Gardner, Chemicals-Pesticides Program
RECERTIFICATION NEWS
As of September 1, 1989, the Department of Environmental Conservation
began awarding recertification credits to Commercial Applicators in Category
1A (Agricultural Plant). Applicators in this category may also choose to
recertify by workbook as before. This change gives applicators the option of
accumulating credits similar to other commercial categories. Agricultural
Plant applicators will need 10 credits to recertify. Recertification
programs for 1A applicators are being incorporated into the Recertification
Calendar feature of Chem-News on CENET.
R. Gardner, Chemicals-Pesticides Program
NOZZLE NEWS
Use Ceramic Tips for Abrasive Chemicals
Ceramic spray tips are the most durable tip for highlchoose to
recertify by workbook as before. This change gives applicators the option of
accumulating credits similar to other commercial categories. Agricultural
Plant applicators will need 10 credits to recertify. Recertification
programs for 1A applicators are being incorporated into the Recertification
Calendar feature of Chem-News on CENET.
R. Gardner, Chemicals-Pesticides Program
NOZZLE NEWS
Use Ceramic Tips for Abrasive Chemicals
Ceramic spray tips are the most durable tip for highly abrasive
chemicals such as atrazine and dacthal as well as many fungicides and acid-
based fertilizers. Those chemicals have the power to corrode and wear brass,
plastic or even stainless steel spray tips very rapidly, which could lead to
misapplications. New to the U.S. market, ceramic tips offer longer life
because of their extremely inert orifices that resist damage and swelling
caused by corrosive and abrasive materials.
Extended-range Nozzles
If an applicator is using an automatic rate controller, they may want to
consider using extended-range nozzles. Extended-range spray nozzles are
designed to operate over a wide range of pressures (15-60 psi) while
maintaining uniform coverage. This allows them to perform properly, even if
the rate controller dictates a pressure drop as low as 15 psi. Standard flat
fan tips have a normal operating pressure range of 30 - 60 psi and provide
less uniform coverage below a range pressure of 15 psi.
Container-rinsing Nozzles
By using the technology that helps the beer industry clean its kegs,
Spraying Systems Co. designed a nozzle for faster, easier chemical container
clean-up. The nozzle can be mounted on the sprayer's chemical mix-and-fill
tank. After loading chemicals into the mix-and-fill tank, the chemical
container is placed over the nozzle and power-rinsed with water. This water
is then inducted back into the sprayer's main tank and used in the solution.
No more need for messy triple rinsing and containers are ready for safe
disposal.
New Nozzle Makes Clean-Up Safer
If the sprayer tank is rinsed with a yard hose after coming in from the
field, flushing contaminated rinse water can be a problem. Mishandling the
rinse water could lead to a number or problems including an unsafe water
supply. Rinsing sprayer tanks on-the-go while still in the field is a much
safer approach. A special TeeJet tank rinsing nozzle can be mounted in your
chemical tank. When connected to a clean water supply tank (mounted on the
sprayer frame), the nozzle allows you to rinse the tank and flush it in the
field, rather that near farm buildings. The rinse system can be operated
either with the sprayer's main pump, or an auxiliary pump.
For more information about spray tips written about above, contact:
Agricultural Division, Spraying Systems Co., (708) 665-5000.
Chemical Application, Facts-N-Fillers, Spring 1990
Calibration Do's and Don'ts
o Do check sprayers before every application. See that spray patterns are
uniform. Operate sprayer (filled with water) over gravel or blacktop and then
see how the patterns dry.
o Do calibrate each nozzle individually. Also check for worn or split
hoses, clogged or cracked strainers and leaky valves.
o Do change worn or damaged tips immediately. Check new tips for proper
pattern as well.
o Do calibrate equipment throughout the season and check each tip's flow
rate.
o Do check the label to determine recommended application rate.
o Do adjust for differences in flow rate when spraying solutions with
different densities than water. Solutions, such as 28 percent nitrogen, are
heavier than water and would flow at a lower rate through the same nozzle than
water.
o Don't think of calibration as a once-a-year task. Nozzles wear during
use, so sprayers should be calibrated throughout the season.
o Don't try to calibrate your nozzles by blindly raising or lowering
pressure to change flow. A nozzle applying 10 gallons per acre at 10 psi will
double its flow to 20 gpa only if the pressure is raised 4 times to 40 psi.
o Don't rely on speedometers to check ground speed during calibration.
Use a stopwatch to measure the seconds it takes to travel 88 feet. Divide the
seconds by 60 to get miles per hour.
o Don't assume pressure at the nozzle is the same as the pressure on the
gauge. Pressure is lost through friction in the hoses, valves and other parts
of the system.
Chemical Application, Facts-N-Fillers, Spring 1990
NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS FOOD LABORATORY MONTHLY
REPORT FOR MARCH, 1990
A summary of foods tested for pesticide residues during the month of
March has shown that imported cucumbers and tomatoes contained Methamidophos
in excess of tolerances. Reinspection samples of potatoes from a farm in
Suffolk County continue to show levels of Endosulfan in excess of tolerance.
Experiments conducted in the labo