REGULATORY SERVICES
Pesticide Regulation Changes in Virginia
On October 16, 2008 the Virginia Pesticide Control Board adopted as final new Public Participation Guidelines. These guidelines became effective as 2 VAC 20-11 December 10, 2008. To see the text of the regulation click here.
The following significant amendments to the Certification Regulation, 2 VAC 20-51, went into effect December 1, 2008:
- Clarifying that a certified commercial applicator supervising an applicator training to become a registered technician (“direct on-site supervision”) must actually be watching the application of pesticides by the trainee
- Requiring that once a person is hired or transferred into a position involving commercial pesticide use, all required training and testing would have to be completed within 90 days of such hiring or transfer. If the trainee fails the RT exam the first time, he must reapply and retake the exam within 30 days after the first attempt at testing. If the trainee does not take or does not pass the exam the second time as required, he cannot apply pesticides on the job (even with supervision) until he does.
- Requiring additional documented training for Registered Technicians who move from one pesticide application field to another (ex. A technician moves from a pest control company to a lawn care company.)
- Deleting the option of commercial applicators being able to proctor the Registered Technician exam
- Requiring all commercial applicators and registered technicians to keep records of all pesticides applied on the job.
For the complete text of the amended regulation, click here.
New Training Manuals and Certification Exams Available
Three new or revised commercial pesticide applicator training manuals are now available by mail or telephone order from the Virginia Cooperative Extension Publications Distribution Center. The three new titles are Agricultural Plant Pest Control, Public Health Pest Control, and Wood Preservation and Wood Products Treatment. These manuals can be used to prepare for pesticide applicator certification exams in Category 1A-Agricultural Plant Pest Control, Category 8-Public Health Pest Control, and Category 12-Wood Preservation and Wood Products Treatment, respectively.
The new certification exams based on these manuals should be available at all VDACS testing sites and Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Customer Service Centers on Tuesday, January 6, 2009. Contact OPS at 804.786.0685 if you have any questions concerning which manual you should study and when new exams will be available.