Beware of Unlicensed or Fraudulent Firms Wanting to Apply Pesticides for You.

Business/Agriculture Editors

OLYMPIA, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 29, 2000

With cold weather moving into the Northwest, spiders and other insects may seek the warm refuge of your home.

Beware of fraud or unnecessary service. Before you hire a pest control operator to rid your home of insects, weeds or other pests, make sure he or she is licensed and properly certified. Also, recognize that the person who treats your yard may not be properly certified to apply pesticides to protect your home from insects.

"Control of outdoor pests requires different treatments and a different set of skills than treating a home," says Tim Schultz, Spokane area manager of the Pesticide Compliance Program at Department of Agriculture. "The wrong pesticide, or a pesticide applied in the wrong amount, can cause illness or may not work at all."

Even yard care firms that mow and trim must have a pesticide license if they apply weed and feed products, a regulation that landscape firms may overlook.

"Fall is the time that unscrupulous companies prey on folks trying to prepare their homes for winter," says Schultz. Get true value for your money. Make sure the person you hire meets the following requirements:

-- For landscape applications, the vehicle or equipment used must display the
name and telephone number of the pesticide applicator or the applicator's
employer.

-- For structural treatments, the name and phone number do not need to be on
the vehicle, but a current Department of Agriculture apparatus license plate
must be on the power equipment.

-- Pest control operators must be licensed for the particular treatments they
apply. For example, a person hired to apply spider barriers around a home
foundation must possess a valid Washington state pesticide license with the
category of "PCO General", which will appear as "D" on the license. This is
separate from the ornamental insect and disease control category, "OC", which
enables them to apply pesticides to trees and shrubs.

-- Pest control operators that treat landscapes must carry Material Safety Data
Sheets for the pesticides being used. The pest control operator will provide
these sheets to the customer upon written request.

-- When landscape-type pesticides are applied, the pest control operator must
mark the point of entry on the property. This marker must state "This landscape
has been treated by..." and "For more information call..."

Call Department of Agriculture toll-free at 877/301-4555 for more information. Department of Agriculture licenses and tests pest control operators as part of its mission to protect consumers and safeguard the environment. Before you select a pest control company, you can also check with the Better Business Bureau in your area.