Children & Pets

Garden Care Chemical products are clearly going to be stored and used in the garden and in and around the home where they may come into contact with children and pets like dogs, cats and rabbits.

Garden Care Chemicals are designed for use in home garden situations and generally children and pets should ONLY be kept away from treated areas whilst a spray product dries or a granular herbicide lawn fertiliser is watered in. So using the simplest of common sense precautions these products can be used in the garden.

Garden Care Chemical products are only approved, if their properties when used according to label instructions mean that there are no significant risks to children and pets.

When selecting a product for purchase, and when using a product read the label carefully as it will give clear instructions regarding children and pets. There are important safety phrases on the label concerning storage and ‘after use.’

Look out for the industry standard logo with instruction for use (see below) which will be found on most common garden products. For garden fertiliser / weedkiller combinations the normal instruction is ‘ Keep children and pets away from treated area, until the granule has been watered in’ and for sprays ‘Keep children and pets away from treated area until the spray has dried’. The precise phrase will depend on the nature of the product and will be determined by the regulatory authority to ensure safe use.

Some products such as metaldehyde containing slug pellets carry specific warnings: 'SINCE THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS METALDEHYDE, WHICH CAN KILL IF EATEN, IT MUST BE KEPT AWAY FROM CHILDREN AND PETS’.

With regard to storage there are a number of simple common sense rules that need to be followed.

• Product must always be stored in the original container with the correct label.
• Store products in a secure place where they are inaccessible to children.
• Keep the products in their original containers.
• Do not leave product around the garden in the sprayer when applying the product.
• Clear up any spillage immediately.