The poison industry public relations group, RISE ("Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment"), advocates in their ad in Pest Control, May, 1997 that PCO's (poison applicators):
 

"Communicate with your customers. Your customers expect you and your employees to be credible and knowledgeable sources of information about your products (poisons). Take time to talk with them about your safe and responsible use of pesticides (poisons). Studies show that most people don't know that pesticide products are among the most highly tested products sold. the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registers only those uses of pesticide products (poisons) that pose minimal risks.

Emphasize that pesticide products (poisons) must (now) undergo stringent government-monitored testing before they can be sold. It is a long and costly process. For example:

• It takes a chemical manufacturer 8 to 10 years to test and register a product, at an average cost of $30 million to $50 million.
• As many as 120 tests or more are performed, many specific to health, safety and the environment.
• Only one potential pesticide in 20,000 makes it from the research lab to the market.


Assure customers of the benefits pesticides provide for turf, trees and ornamentals, and in the home.

Discuss your safe and responsible use of pesticides as a professional applicator.

Advise your customers that you closely follow label instructions.

Outline the extensive training that is mandatory for professional applicators in order to apply specialty pesticides. (Forget they are not the ones who normally apply these toxins.)

Explain what happens to pesticide containers once a job has been completed."

The thing that amazes me the most is that it is supposedly against the federal law to say any pesticide poisons (not products) are safe. - Steve