Pesticides are legitimate and useful tools that can provide significant benefits to society. To maximise these benefits pesticides must be used in a safe and efficient manner. Misuse of pesticides can cause harm to people and the environment.

The role of pesticides in society

In primary industry, pesticides can improve the yield and quality of food and fibre crops, and the health and productivity of animals. Poison baits help to control vertebrate pests, such as foxes and rabbits, and other rodent pests. Pesticides are important in the prevention and treatment of termite infestations in buildings. The control of biting insects such as mosquitoes provides public health benefits and improves the quality of our lives. The use of pesticides in recreational areas such as sporting grounds, golf courses, parks and waterways has social, recreational and aesthetic benefits.

Many exotic organisms such as weeds or feral animals can harm the natural environment. Pesticides can help to control environmentally harmful organisms, leading to the protection of native habitat and the maintenance of biodiversity. Products for domestic and home garden use also provide benefits and can enhance the quality of our lives.

Risks of pesticide use

For society as a whole, it is important that the benefits of pesticide use outweigh all the costs, and that any risks associated with their use are both acceptable and minimised as far as possible. Inappropriate use of pesticides may:

• Cause illness or harm to humans who are exposed
• Harm non-target organisms including native, ornamental and agricultural plants and animals
• Contaminate agricultural produce, leading to trade problems and health risks
• Pollute land and water, which can damage ecosystem function and reduce biodiversity
• Cause environmental nuisance such as noise or odour
• Contribute to the development of resistance in pests

Your responsibility when handling or using pesticides

The document EPA Guidelines for Responsible Pesticide Use (.PDF, external site) provides a comprehensive coverage of this subject.

If you handle or use pesticides you have a common law duty of care to ensure that your actions do not cause harm to the environment, other people or their property, or yourself. You are also required to comply with all laws that apply to the storage, transport, application and disposal of pesticides. The Legislation page of this website summarises the legal framework regulating pesticides in South Australia. Two Rural Chemicals Program fact sheets provide information about storage and disposal.

Storage of agricultural and veterinary chemicals (.PDF)

Disposal of agricultural and veterinary chemicals (.PDF)

Product label

The product label, and any leaflet, pamphlet or booklet included with the product provide the necessary information on safety, use and disposal of the product. Read the label and follow the instructions. All label directions should be followed but some are mandatory label instructions that must be complied with. A Rural Chemicals Program fact sheet on Label Instructions provides more information.

Material Safety Data Sheets

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are produced for any hazardous material used in workplaces. These are prepared by the manufacturer and provide information on the physical, chemical and biological properties of the product, along with its health and physical hazards. The MSDS for a pesticide can be obtained from the product's manufacturer, possibly from the distributor, from pesticide databases or from the internet.

Training courses

In most cases, there is no specific training requirement to purchase or use pesticides in South Australia. You do have a common law and a legal obligation, however, to use pesticides responsibly. Some pesticides that are more dangerous because of higher toxicity can only be purchased and used by 'authorised persons' who have successfully completed an approved training program. These restricted products must not be used in home gardens. This website provides details of approved training programs.

Biosecurity SA - Rural Chemicals encourages anyone who use pesticides for other than occasional domestic or home garden applications to undertake chemical user training.

Minimising public exposure to pesticides

Biosecurity SA has developed a document entitled Guidelines for Local Government on Reducing Pesticide Exposure (.PDF, 247 KB). The principles outlined in this document are relevant for anyone who applies pesticides in locations that are accessible to the public.

Pesticide application records

It is good practice to keep records of pesticide appplication. Records are important tools in showing 'due diligence' in pesticide use. Recorded information on product performance is useful in pest management. Decisions can be based on objective data and observed results compiled over a number of years. Records can help to corroborate actual use if there are questions regarding drift damage, residues, injury, etc.

Record keeping requirements

Information should be recorded as soon as practicable, and no later than 24 hours, after the application. The minimum information required is:

• The date, start time and finish time of application
• The location where the application was made
• The full product name(s) and application rate(s)
• The crop or situation and the area treated
• Spray pressure, nozzle brand, nozzle type and flow rate: i.e. sufficient information to calculate the spray quality (droplet size) applied
• Weather conditions during application - wind speed, wind direction, temperature, relative humidity and delta T
• Name, address and contact number for property owner
• Name, address and contact number for applicator

Pest management technicians (contractors) are required, under the conditions of their licences issued by Department of Health, to make records and keep them for seven years.

Record keeping forms

While PIRSA Biosecurity - Rural Chemicals does not specify the format in which records should be kept, it provides here an example of a suitable record keeping form in both PDF format (.PDF, 116 KB) and as a Microsoft Word document (.docx, 25 KB). Please download and copy either version to make and keep your own hardcopy records, or use the Word version as a template to save your records electronically.

A filled-out sample form (.PDF, 123 KB) is also provided as a guide to completing the form.

Summer weed spraying: Code of Practice and Record Keeping

Off-target drift of herbicides, particularly phenoxy herbicides such as 2,4-D, used for summer weed control poses a risk of damage to sensitive plants such as grapevines. To reduce the likelihood of such events happening, Biosecurity SA - Rural Chemicals Operations needs better data on how herbicides are actually used. It has identified spray risk zones around the major grape-growing regions in SA. Following significant off-target herbicide damage to grapevines in the Clare Valley in early 2009, Rural Chemicals Operations wrote to all landholders in these zones recommending that they keep herbicide application records. Rural Chemicals Operations may use these records to either confirm the current advice on best practice for summer weed spraying or to develop better advice.

In conjunction with the Mid North Spray Drift Committee, Rural Chemicals Operations has also developed a Code of Practice for Summer Weed Spraying. The Chemical Trespass (Spray Drift) page contains further details and a link to the Code of Practice.

Chemicals of Security Concern

 In consultation with industry and the general community, governments throughout Australia are currently examining options to reduce the potential security risks posed by 96 chemicals of security concern. Some of these 96 chemicals have agricultural uses.

Ammonium nitrate, which is used as an agricultural fertiliser as well as in the manufacture of explosives, is already subject to increased regulation because of security concerns. Potassium nitrate, which is also used as an agricultural fertiliser, is in a current list of 11 products of particular concern to the federal Attorney-General's Department (AGD).

Further details are available on the Safework SA website (external site).