Hello Gardeners, I’m Amanda McNulty with Clemson Extension and Making It Grow. Certain pesticides, a term that means insecticides, fungicides, algaecides, rodenticides and others are not ones you and I can go in a store and buy. They are under a special category called restricted use products. The Environmental Protection Agency gives permits for the chemicals we use in our homes and gardens.
Some of the ones that pose a greater threat to the environment can only be purchased by people who have taken and passed a special exam and have a special license they must show when they purchase restricted use products. Farmers and others who only are applying products to their own property fall under the private applicator category. Anyone who uses pesticide products on other people’s or public property for pay or as part of his job must have a commercial license.
