Mar 3, 2012 – Reduced Risk Pesticides?
QUESTION:
Do you have a list of reduced risk pesticides?
ANSWER:
No Mike, this is not something we have put together so far. We do offer a couple of other resources that might be helpful in this regard, and you can find both of them on PestWeb in the tab "Industry" and then PestWeb Features. The resource is the "Going Green and Organic" highlight, with articles on these two topics and long listings of all of the Organic and Natural pesticides carried by Univar.
View past Ask Mr. Pest Control questions.
Do you have a list of reduced risk pesticides?
ANSWER:
No Mike, this is not something we have put together so far. We do offer a couple of other resources that might be helpful in this regard, and you can find both of them on PestWeb in the tab "Industry" and then PestWeb Features. The resource is the "Going Green and Organic" highlight, with articles on these two topics and long listings of all of the Organic and Natural pesticides carried by Univar.
Now, just because it is on either the Organic or the Natural list does not necessarily mean it is also classified as "Reduced Risk", and this is a confusing issue. The EPA has a listing of "Minimum Risk" active ingredients in their FIFRA Section 25(b), and this includes many of the "natural" active ingredients. Products using only these minimum risk active ingredients may be exempt from registration by EPA.
However, "reduced" risk is another topic altogether, and you can go to the EPA Reduced Risk page at http://www.epa.gov/opprd001/workplan/reducedrisk.html or Google "EPA Reduced Risk Pesticide" to find the same website. On this page you will find a link to their listing of all products that have been granted Reduced Risk status for one reason or another, and there are at least two reasons for being called reduced risk. One is called "Organophosphate Replacement" where the EPA believes a product would be a reasonable replacement for existing uses of OP pesticides, which they hope to phase out completely over time. The other criteria is that a "reduced" risk product and its proposed uses would pose a lower risk than the current alternative products used for that pest management program.
Because of this a pesticide product may be reduced risk for SOME of the uses on its label but not necessarily all of them. Our best approach if we were to build such a list for the benefit of our customers would be to have each of the product manufacturers provide us with the list of their products that qualify, along with the reasons why that product is considered reduced risk. Because of its nebulous nature it is hard to make this determination without their input. But, begin by going to that EPA page and reviewing the list they offer there.
What you will find is not easy to interpret. First of all, the list only goes up through 2010. Second, in one column called "Site" you will find the uses and sites for which that product is considered reduced risk, again a reminder that any product is not reduced risk for every use on its label.
View past Ask Mr. Pest Control questions.
