Skip to main content

Chapter 12 - Pesticides

Print Chapter

A pesticide is defined as a substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest, or intended for use as a plant regulator, defoliant or desiccant. Two categories of pesticides are covered by the Cornell University Health and Safety Policy 8.6:

  1. EPA Registered Pesticides (the EPA registration number can be found on the manufacturer's label). 
  2. Those experimental chemicals for which a pesticidal effect has been determined.

All university personnel (includes faculty members, staff members, students, and any other university-affiliated individuals) who label, store, use, transport, dispose of, or clean up spills of pesticides are responsible for adhering to federal and state regulations, as well as the Cornell University Health & Safety Policy 8.6.

It is essential that teaching, research, extension, ground, and athletic field maintenance involving pesticide use be conducted properly and legally for the protection of the pesticide applicator, other employees, staff, students, public health, and the environment.

The responsibility for ensuring that all work with pesticides at Cornell is conducted properly and legally rests on the individual user.

 Other Resources:

  • OSHA Lab Standard
  • University Health and Safety Policy 8.6
  • NYS Environmental Conservation Law Part 325
  • Pesticide Regulations - 40 CFR part 172.3
  • CALS Pesticide Website
Chapter