NYS PCO NYS PCO General 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under New York State law, which agency is primarily responsible for regulating pesticide use and certifying commercial applicators?
- Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) (Correct answer)
- Department of Health
- Department of Agriculture and Markets
- Environmental Protection Agency Region 2
Correct answer: Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)
The NYS DEC administers pesticide applicator certification and enforces pesticide regulations under ECL Article 33.
Question 2: A pesticide label states 'DANGER' as its signal word. What does this indicate?
- The product is highly toxic or corrosive (Correct answer)
- The product is moderately toxic
- The product is slightly toxic
- The product is restricted-use only
Correct answer: The product is highly toxic or corrosive
DANGER is the signal word for Toxicity Category I products, indicating high toxicity or severe eye/skin damage potential.
Question 3: Which document must a commercial applicator consult FIRST before mixing or applying any pesticide?
- The product label (Correct answer)
- The company service agreement
- The Safety Data Sheet
- The DEC annual report form
Correct answer: The product label
The label is a legally binding document, and using a pesticide inconsistent with its label is a violation of state and federal law.
Question 4: In New York State, commercial pesticide application records must generally be kept for how long?
- 3 years (Correct answer)
- 1 year
- 6 months
- 10 years
Correct answer: 3 years
NYS requires commercial applicators to retain application records for at least three years.
Question 5: What does the abbreviation 'LD50' on a toxicity chart represent?
- The dose lethal to 50% of a test population (Correct answer)
- The legal dilution limit of 50%
- The label-directed rate for 50 gallons
- The half-life of the pesticide in soil
Correct answer: The dose lethal to 50% of a test population
LD50 is the single dose that kills 50% of test animals, so a lower LD50 means higher toxicity.
Question 6: Which of the following is the BEST definition of Integrated Pest Management (IPM)?
- Combining monitoring, prevention, and multiple control tactics, using pesticides only when needed (Correct answer)
- Rotating between two pesticide brands to prevent resistance
- Applying pesticides on a fixed monthly schedule
- Using only organic pesticides in sensitive accounts
Correct answer: Combining monitoring, prevention, and multiple control tactics, using pesticides only when needed
IPM combines inspection, monitoring, sanitation, exclusion, and targeted treatments, reserving pesticides for when thresholds justify them.
Question 7: A restricted-use pesticide (RUP) may be purchased and applied in New York by whom?
- A certified applicator or someone under their direct supervision as allowed by law (Correct answer)
- Any employee of a registered pesticide business
- Any adult who has read the label
- Only DEC enforcement staff
Correct answer: A certified applicator or someone under their direct supervision as allowed by law
RUPs are limited to certified applicators or persons working under their supervision as the regulations permit.
NYS PCO NYS PCO General 2
Under New York State law, which agency is primarily responsible for regulating pesticide use and certifying commercial applicators?