Improved Pesticide Product Labeling Information for Household Lawn Management: Recommended Safe Durations in Support of Minimizing Children’s Exposure to Pesticides

Abstract

Pesticide product labels are critical for consumers to safely and legally use pesticides. Because residue levels in the environment are relatively high immediately after pesticide application, avoiding contact with residues in the emitted area after the application could help reduce pesticide exposure. However, the safety instructions on pesticide product labels after pesticide application are insufficient. To minimize pesticide exposure and promote integrated pest management, we improved pesticide product labels by introducing recommended safe durations (close windows and doors and stay off lawns after pesticide application), which were proposed using screening models and specific to individual active ingredients. The results showed that children’s exposure to residues in the lawn environment can be reduced by over 30% for many currently used pesticides with a recommended safe duration of 3 d. Rainfall or irrigation events can help reduce exposure to hydrophilic pesticides, and high temperatures can further reduce the exposure because of the enhanced overall dissipation process of pesticides in the lawn environment. Based on the simulations, we improved the pesticide product label by adding recommended safe durations and reducing children’s exposure to residues, providing the effects of weather conditions and irrigation activities on the reduced pesticide exposure, and clarifying the difference between exposure and adverse health risks. The proposed safety instructions can be customized for individual active ingredients and easily understood/followed by consumers, which can help minimize children’s exposure to residues and promote integrated pest management.