Chapter 12
Application Procedures for
Fumigants and Suspensions in
Air
In This
Chapter
After learning the information in this chapter, you will be able to:
1. Define a fumigant and a suspension in air.
2. Describe the precautions you need to follow when using
fumigants and suspensions in air.
Keywords
suspensions in air, fumigant
You must take extra precautions when you use a Class 2 or 3
pesticide that is a fumigant or a suspension in air.
A fumigant is a pesticide that is formulated as a gas, vapour, fume,
or smoke, or forms a gas, vapour, fume or smoke shortly after
application. These pesticides include fumigant gases, liquid and
solid soil fumigants, greenhouse fumes or smokes and other
products that volatilize. NOTE: Certified Farmers MAY NOT buy
and use fumigant gases that contain methyl bromide, carbon dioxide
or ethylene oxide.
Soil fumigants that contain chloropicrin, metam-sodium, dazomet,
or metam potassium are applied and incorporated into the soil prior
to planting to control soil-borne pests such as root lesion nematodes
and soil-borne disease organisms such as Phytophthora spp. and
Pythium spp. The treated soil is then sealed and later aerated prior to
planting.
A suspension in air is a pesticide that produces an aerosol, mist or
fog. It may also be an ultra-low volume or ultra-low dosage
application. These pesticides could be used inside a greenhouse or
barn.
To use these products, you must work with another Certified Farmer
or appropriate Licensed Exterminator, and follow specific
application procedures.
Chapter 12 – Application Procedures for Fumigants and Suspensions in Air
135
Work with a
Certified
Farmer or a
Licenced
Exterminator
When you work with fumigants or suspensions in air, you must
work with another Certified Farmer or appropriately Licensed
Exterminator to monitor each other. Any person involved must be
certified or appropriately licensed. The following chart gives
examples of different applications with these types of products.
Class 2 or 3 Fumigants or Suspensions in Air
Application
Example Products
Certified or Licensed
soil fumigant Chloropicrin 100 Liquid, Certified Farmer or
in a field on a Pic Plus Fumigant
Licensed Agriculture
farm
Exterminator
Application
Procedures
for Inside
Structures
suspension in
air inside a
greenhouse
DDVP Smoke
Certified Farmer or
Licensed Greenhouse
/Interior Plant
Exterminator
suspension in
air inside a
barn
DPA Thermal Fogging,
ecoFOG-160,
Disvap Insecticide
Certified Farmer or
Licensed Structural
Exterminator
You must follow these procedures for applications inside structures:
Before you begin –
 Make sure your assistant (e.g. another Certified Farmer) is
with you at all times.
 Lock all doors into the building except the door you will use
to leave the building.
 Post a “Structural Extermination Sign”, referred to as Sign B,
on all doors. This sign must meet the requirements of “Sign
B” as described on the website of the Ontario Ministry of
Environment and Climate Change.
 Make sure that no people or animals are in the building.
After you apply the pesticide –
 leave the building,
 lock this door and
 post a “Structural Extermination Sign” on this door.
You must make sure that no one enters the building while the
pesticide is suspended in the air or during use of the fumigant. If you
or your assistant must re-enter the building, you must wear adequate
respiratory protection that protects you and your assistant from
exposure.
136
Chapter 12 – Application Procedures for Fumigants and Suspensions in Air
Application
Procedures
for Soil
Fumigants
Certified Farmers and Licensed Exterminators must:
 Write a Fumigation Management Plan before the start of the
application and include key steps for a safe and effective
fumigation, including monitoring of site conditions (soil, air,
weather, etc.) calculating and posting of buffer zones, and
providing an emergency response plan (see example at the
end of this chapter).
 Follow Good Agricultural Practices including the monitoring
of weather conditions, soil preparation, monitoring of soil
temperature and moisture, and proper soil sealing.
 Follow the Entry Restricted Period. No one is allowed to
enter the treated area except the Certified Farmer or Licensed
Exterminator, or emergency personnel or government
officials during this time. The applicator must verbally warn
workers of the application and Fumigant Application Signs
must be posted on all entrances to the treated area.
 Wear respiratory protection or leave the area if they
experience burning of the eyes or nose or if specific fumigant
air concentrations are reached.
 Put buffer zones in place as stated on the label. Buffer zone
signs must be posted around the perimeter of the zone.
 Monitor sites for sensory irritation or distribute information
to neighbours of treated areas when:
- the required buffer zone is greater than 8 metres, and
- residences or businesses are next to the edge of the
buffer zone.
For detailed information about the requirements, contact specialists
at the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change, the
Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs or the Pest
Management Regulatory Agency of Health Canada.
Protective
Clothing and
Personal
Protective
Equipment
Always wear the protective clothing and personal protective
equipment stated on the label. It may be different from what you
would wear with other pesticides.
Fumigants such as chloropicrin are heavier than air and can be
trapped inside clothing and cause skin injury. For chloropicrin
products, you must wear a loose-fitting or well-ventilated longsleeved shirt and long pants so that the fumigant doesn’t get trapped
next to your skin. Do not wear jewellery, gloves, goggles, tight
clothing, or anything made of rubber materials. If you use a
respirator, be fit-tested, trained on its proper use, and healthy enough
to wear it.
Chapter 12 – Application Procedures for Fumigants and Suspensions in Air
137
As of September 2014, a site-specific Fumigation Management Plan (FMP) is required prior to all soil fumigant applications.
FUMIGATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
The owner/operator of the application block as well as the applicator must keep signed copies of the Fumigation Management Plan for 2
years from the date of application. The sample below is available at www.opep.ca under Information, Forms, as a Word document.
Person completing the Fumigation Management Plan:
Name (print):_
A
I certify that the Fumigation Management Plan reflects the current site conditions:
Sign: _
Date: YYYY/MM/DD
The application block that is to be fumigated.
B
The soil fumigant product that will be used.
Start date of application:
End date of application:
YYYY/MM/DD
YYYY/MM/DD
Address or GPS coordinates of the application block:
Name of Soil Fumigant Product:
Name of the owner/operator of the application block:
Injection depth (if applicable):
Phone number:
Address of the owner/operator of the application block:
Area of application block:
Soil temperature:
Soil type of the application block:
[ ] Coarse: fine sand, loamy fine sand
[ ] Moderate: sandy loam, fine sandy loam
[ ] Medium: sandy clay loam, loam, silt loam
[ ] Fine: clay, clay loam, silty clay loam
Soil moisture:
____% of field capacity measured using__________________
Registration Number:
Application Method:
Broadcast equivalent application
rate:
Ensure that the product label and the MSDS sheets are on-site and readily
available
Tarp Plan
[ ] Not applicable
C
(non-tarped application)
Schedule for checking tarps:
Equipment/method for
perforating tarps:
Target date for perforating tarps:
YYYY/MM/DD
Target date for removing tarps:
YYYY/MM/DD
Buffer zones information. A buffer zone is an area established around the perimeter of the application block extending outward equally in all directions. A buffer
zone is required for all soil fumigant applications. Buffer zone credits may be applicable depending on the characteristics of the application.
Application rate from buffer zone look-up table on
List all buffer zone credits applied with
Total applicable
Actual required buffer zone distance:
label:
measurements (see label for available
buffer zone credit:
____ meters
options):
____ %
Buffer
Total
Required
Block size from buffer zone look-up table on label:
zone
buffer
buffer
×
=
Buffer zone credits
distance
zone
zone
may be added but
from label
credit
distance
Buffer zone distance from look-up table on label:
cannot exceed 80%
total credit
Minimum buffer zone distance is 8 meters
regardless of available buffer zone credits
Describe any areas where the buffer zone extends to areas not under the control of the
If the buffer zone extends to areas not under control of the owner
owner/operator:
operator, a written agreement is required indicating that all people will
vacate the buffer zone during the buffer zone period.
[ ] Written agreement attached to FMP [ ] Not required
Notification of the fumigant treated area and the buffer zone. Signs must be posted at all entrances to the application block. Signs must be posted along the outside
E
perimeter of the buffer zone unless there is a physical barrier that prevents bystander access to the buffer zone.
Name of person(s) responsible for posting and removing fumigant treated area sign:
Name of person(s) responsible for posting and removing buffer zone sign (if
required):
F
Emergency Preparedness and Response Measures: If residences or businesses are located in close proximity to the buffer zone, either fumigant air monitoring must
be conducted, or response information must be provided to neighbours.
Planning the
buffer zone is >8 meters ≤30 meters and residences or businesses are located within 15 meters from the outer edge of the buffer zone
Emergency
buffer zone is >30 meters ≤60 meters and residences or businesses are located within 30 meters from the outer edge of the buffer zone
Preparedness and
D
Response
buffer zone is >60 meters ≤90 meters and residences or businesses are located within 90 meters from the outer edge of the buffer zone
Measures is
buffer zone is >90 meters of if buffer zones overlap and businesses are located within 90 meters from the outer edge of the buffer zone
required if:
Are Emergency Preparedness and Response Measures Required for the application?
[ ] Not Required based on buffer zone size and proximity or residences or businesses
[ ] Required (complete section for either Fumigation Site Monitoring or Response Information For Neighbours)
[ ] Fumigant Site Monitoring Plan:
[ ] Response Information for Neighbours Plan:
Time 1:
Location of monitoring:
Person responsible for monitoring:
List the residences or businesses which will receive information:
Time 2:
Location of monitoring:
Person responsible for monitoring:
Time 3:
Location of monitoring:
Person responsible for monitoring:
Time 4:
Location of monitoring:
Person responsible for monitoring:
Time 5:
Location of monitoring:
Person responsible for monitoring:
Time 6:
Location of monitoring:
Person responsible for monitoring:
Time 7:
Location of monitoring:
Person responsible for monitoring:
Time 8:
Location of monitoring:
Person responsible for monitoring:
138
Describe method used to share information (i.e.: mailings, door hangers):
Name and phone number of the person responsible for delivering information:
Chapter 12 – Application Procedures for Fumigants and Suspensions in Air
Air Monitoring Plan. Indicate if operations will cease, or continue with air monitoring, if a handler/applicator experiences sensory irritation (tearing, burning of the
eyes or nose). If air monitoring will be used, provide details on the equipment to be used.
If sensory irritation is experienced, will operations
Representative task for air monitoring:
Air monitoring equipment:
Timing of air
cease?
monitoring:
[ ] Operation to cease
[ ] Continue operation with use of respirator and
air monitoring equipment
G
Emergency Response Plan: Provide information on responsibilities and procedures to follow in the event of an incident or emergency. Ensure all applicators involved
in the application are aware of what to do in the event of an emergency.
Description of evacuation routes:
Location of nearest telephone:
Telephone number of first
responders:
911
Contact information for local authority:
Contact information for provincial
authority:
H
Describe emergency procedures and responsibilities in the event of an incident during application:
Describe emergency procedures and responsibilities in the event that sensory irritation is experienced outside the buffer zone during or after application:
Describe emergency procedures and responsibilities in the event of an equipment/tarp/seal failure or other emergency:
Include a site plan (map, aerial photo or sketch) of the application block and surrounding area.
I
include map, aerial photo or sketch of the application block including
•Location of the application block with dimensions
•Location of the buffer zone with dimensions
•Property lines
•Roadways, rights-of-ways, sidewalks, walking paths and bus stops
•Adjacent application blocks
•Surrounding structures (occupied and non-occupied)
•Locations of fumigant treated area signs
•Locations of buffer zone signs
•Location and distances of any difficult to evacuate sites (schools,
daycare centers, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospitals,
in-patient clinics, prisons)
•Locations for air monitoring (if applicable)
•Evacuation routes
This product is only to be used by individuals holding an appropriate pesticide applicator certificate or license recognized by the provincial/territorial pesticide
regulatory agency where the pesticide application is to occur. All handlers/applicators involved in the application must be listed below.
Name:
Address:
Phone number:
Indicate personal protective equipment
to be worn (see label for required PPE):
[ ] Long-sleeved shirt/long pants
Certificate or Licence Number:
Date of Certification:
[ ] Coveralls
YYYY/MM/DD
[ ] Chemical-resistant coveralls
Employer Name (if commercial handler/applicator):
Employer phone number (if commercial
[ ] Chemical-resistant gloves
handler/applicator):
[ ] Chemical-resistant apron
[ ] Chemical-resistant footwear
Employer Address (if commercial handler/applicator):
[ ] Protective eyewear
[ ] Respirator
Name:
Address:
Phone number:
Indicate personal protective equipment
to be worn (see label for required PPE):
[ ] Long-sleeved shirt/long pants
Certificate or Licence Number:
Date of Certification:
[ ] Coveralls
YYYY/MM/DD
[ ] Chemical-resistant coveralls
Employer Name (if commercial handler/applicator):
Employer phone number (if commercial handler/applicator):
[ ] Chemical-resistant gloves
[ ] Chemical-resistant apron
Employer Address (if commercial handler/applicator):
[ ] Chemical-resistant footwear
[ ] Protective eyewear
[ ] Respirator
Name:
Address:
Phone number:
Indicate personal protective equipment
to be worn (see label for required PPE):
[ ] Long-sleeved shirt/long pants
Certificate or Licence Number:
Date of Certification:
[ ] Coveralls
YYYY/MM/DD
[ ] Chemical-resistant coveralls
Employer Name (if commercial handler/applicator):
Employer phone number (if commercial handler/applicator):
[ ] Chemical-resistant gloves
[ ] Chemical-resistant apron
Employer Address (if commercial handler/applicator):
[ ] Chemical-resistant footwear
[ ] Protective eyewear
[ ] Respirator
Attach additional pages for additional applicators if needed
J
Chapter 12 – Application Procedures for Fumigants and Suspensions in Air
139
Practice Your Understanding
1. What is a fumigant?
2. You must work alone when using a fumigant so that no one else is exposed.
TRUE
140
FALSE
Chapter 12 – Application Procedures for Fumigants and Suspensions in Air