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Commercial applicators must be licensedColorado Spring is in the air. With warmer weather and longer days comes greener grass, blooming bulbs, and weeds. Flyers left on door steps advertising landscape maintenance services, also signify the coming of spring. Interested in hiring a company to help control weeds in your lawn? Then it's important to know that the Colorado Pesticide Applicators' Act requires any person or company that applies pesticides for hire, whether they are applying to a structure, lawn, or agricultural area, to be licensed as a commercial applicator. Herbicides, chemicals used to control weeds, are pesticides. Even those companies advertising they only use organic or natural weed control products are still applying pesticides as defined by the law. Companies providing weed control services using any herbicide must be licensed. Confusion often arises when companies only provide fertilization and aeration services. Licensing as a pesticide applicator is not required if fertilization and aeration are the only services provided. If, however, a company applies "weed and feed" or provides spot treatment for control of weeds, they must be licensed. "Every licensed commercial applicator in Colorado has to meet strict testing requirements that are enforced by the Colorado Department of Agriculture," said Laura Pottorff, pesticide applicator coordinator at CDA. "For better environmental and public safety, they must have the necessary training, expertise and experience to apply these chemicals." A person or company that performs applications for hire without holding the appropriate license may receive a minimum fine of $1,000 per violation. In addition to licensing commercial applicators, CDA officials conduct routine office inspections to review records of applications, equipment maintenance and storage and disposal of pesticides. The department also investigates pesticide use and application complaints. Contact the Colorado Department of Agriculture Pesticide Section at 303-239-4146 or online at www.colorado.gov/ag/dpi with additional questions, to determine if a lawn care company is licensed or to file a pesticide misapplication complaint.
Date: 5/15/08
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