How Toxic are those Chemicals

[Bretts]

Do you ever wonder how toxic the chemicals are that you have. Are you forever checking on the Internet for the Material Safety Data Sheet. Well you should do as there are some very nasty chemicals out there that we use.
Here is a great bit of advice to help you out though.
Ever noticed the warnings at the top of these chemicals. Read safety Directions first, Caution, and Poison. This is a general indication of the toxicity of the chemical. Read safety Directions is the least toxic, Caution mid range and then Poison is the most toxic and if possible should not be used considering not only application but residue and kids using the garden even after spraying. Residue can be more than a year long in the soil.
I like the advice given by Grant Bowie. "Cover yourself from head to toe even when spraying water". That includes a chemical spray grade respirator. It is better to be safe than sorry, even after reading the Material Safety Data Sheet it only tells us what they know so far!
Keep yourself and especially our kids safe!

[bodhidharma]

I agree Bretts. I try very, very hard not to spray. I know that sometimes it just has to be done but things like spider webs ( if it isnt red spidermite) I generally leave it. Healthy trees is the best preventative.

[kvan64]

Yes Brett, gotta be careful with these chemicals. We are using more and more of the nasty stuffs everyday. Even the common bathroom and kitchen cleaning products are poisons and can be harmful to human.

[MattA]

What chemicals are you using Brett? I dont use any around the home or garden, I did have to have the Pestman come & treat the house & its had me paranoid, been coughing & snotty since then.

Kvan, I use bicarb & vinegar for cleaning and the only thing you have to be careful of is that you dont give yourself a brain numbing dose of carbon dioxide.

I am concerned about the toxicity of certain medications I have to take but its the lesser of 2 evils really.

Matt

[Bretts]

My garden Cupboard is starting to remind me of Nans old cubourd these days Although I believe that nastier ones where used more frequently back then. Even Eco Neem comes under the Caution category!

[Amanda]

My garden Cupboard is starting to remind me of Nans old cubourd these days

My concern is the potting mixes, spiders and azaleas. Brett, sounds interesting! What you got in there??

[Joel]

I just completed a chemical spray course which is basically a license that allows me to spray chemicals on properties other than my own. I am also allowed to supervise others and train them appropriately for a task.

Did you guys know that you are required to read the full directions on a product at least 4 times? Once before you purchase, once before you use it, once before you store it then again before you discard it. Also, if you want to use it on a pest that is not covered in the directions, you have to get permission from the maker of the product first. If you dont, you are breaking the law. You also MUST follow the directions EXACTLY. If a product says to use 5ml per litre, you must use that amount. Using more is illegal. As is using less.

Dont underestimate the value of MSDS either. They should be read before using any product. It is very interesting. The LD50 value refers to Lethat Dose 50. It tells you what amount of this product it takes to kill half of the animals it was tested on.... usually rats.

How many people have read the MSDS for diatomite? Nothing too scary but it is good to be aware.

Joel

[teejay]

I've done that course also Joel, it's a real eye opener isn't it?

How many people have read the MSDS for diatomite? Nothing too scary but it is good to be aware.

I've said this here before but I'd advise everyone to be very cautious with the dust that lies in bags of diatomite. Where I work we use diatomaceous earth (essentially the same thing although not fired and ground to a very fine powder) as a filter aid and when using it we have to use a full respirator mask and be very careful not to inhale it. Although no one's died from using it yet (asbestos took decades remember though), it's believed to be carcinogenic. The particles are extremely abrasive. It chews through silicone or EPDM seals in no time so imagine what it could do to a lung?

Everyone really should take extra care not to inhale the dust.

From Maidenwell's MSDS:

Inhaled: The only route of entry, all fine dust has been removed prior to sale.

Anyone who has opened a bag knows this is untrue.