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conditions at the time, crop being sprayed, pesticide
being applied (from pesticide containers at the site),
extent of drift witnessed, description of person
helping or doing the application, other witnesses.
•
Attempt to contact the adjacent landowner and
indicate your concerns.
•
Contact the Alberta Environmental Response
Centre at 1-800-222-6514 promptly for
information and assistance in investigating the
concern. Some pesticides degrade quickly, so
prompt investigative action is required to proceed
with enforcement action.
Pesticide Residues Found in
Alberta Water Sources
A long-term study of water sheds in the province
recently concluded. The Alberta Environtmentally
Sustainable Agriculture (AESA) Stream Survey was
initiated in 1999 and continued until 2006. It tested
the water quality in 23 watersheds throughout the
agricultural areas of the province several times each
year to get information on the presence and
distribution of 68 possible pesticide residues in the
water. Four of the watersheds received irrigation
return flows and the rest were dryland.
Results show pesticide residues were commonly found
in the water samples. Keep in mind that testing
processes are able to detect very small amounts of
chemical, far below any observable effect. Maximum
pesticide concentrations were typically found in
spring and during summer pesticide applications.
Concentrations of detected pesticides occasionally
exceeded existing water quality guidelines for either
the protection of aquatic life or irrigation use.
This study highlights the importance of using due
care and attention when applying pesticides as they
do not necessarily remain where they are applied. Use
integrated pest management strategies to improve the
impact of applied pesticides and established
benchmarks for the use of registered pesticides. The
Farmer Pesticide Certificate program is an excellent
example of training for the when, where and how to
use pesticides.
For more information on the results or for a full
version of the study, check Alberta Agriculture’s
website at
http://www1.agric.gov.ab
.
ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/irr12914
Pesticide Applicator Certificate
Anyone applying pesticides (herbicides, insecticides,
fungicides or rodenticides) on property not owned,
rented or leased by them or in exchange for a fee must
hold a Pesticide Applicator Certificate (issued by
Lakeland College) and a Pesticide Service Registration
(
issued by Alberta Environment). If someone is offering
to spray your property, ask to see a Pesticide Service
Registration and a Pesticide Applicator Certificate (all
applicators are issued wallet-sized identification cards).
For questions pertaining to pesticide applicator
certification, please call Lakeland College at
1-866-853-8646.
For questions pertaining to service
registrations, contact the nearest regional office of
Alberta Environment.
Please remember that a certificate is not a guarantee
of performance. A certificate only certifies that the
certificate holder has met a minimum standard of
knowledge; it cannot assess an applicator’s integrity
or the honesty of his business practices. If you are
uncertain about the reliability of a particular
applicator, ask for references.
Farmer Certification Requirements
Pesticide manufacturers and the federal Pest
Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA), in
consultation with provincial agriculture and
environment departments across Canada, have agreed
that some pesticides have higher toxicity and/or
greater potential to adversely affect health or the
environment and require producers to obtain further
knowledge to purchase and use them. This means,
producers must take a course and pass an exam
verifying that they have the knowledge to safely and
effectively manage and apply these pesticides when
applying them on their own property. Currently,
pesticides containing the active ingredient aluminum
phosphide require mandatory certification for
producers to purchase and use. Aluminum phosphide
is used to treat stored grain pests and for rodent
control in the field.
Producers are encouraged to consider obtaining
Farmer Pesticide Certification. The course contains
detailed grain fumigation and rodent management
information that can assist in preventing outbreaks and
managing them more effectively when they occur. The
Environmental Farm Plan further encourages producers
to learn more information about safe and effective