WASHINGTON PESTICIDE LAWS AND SAFETY PRACTICE
EXAM TEST 2025/2026 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
GRADED A+
✔✔Carcinogenic - ✔✔the ability of a substance or agent to induce malignant tumors
(cancer)
✔✔Carrier - ✔✔1. A inert liquid, solid, or gas added to an active ingredient to make a
pesticide formulation
2. the material (usually water or oil) used to dilute the formulated product for application
✔✔Causal Organisms - ✔✔The organism (pathogen) that produces a given disease
✔✔Chemical Control - ✔✔A pest management strategy that involves the use of
naturally derived or synthetic chemicals that kill, attract, repel, or otherwise control the
growth of pest plants, animals, and microorganisms
EX Avicides, insecticides, rodenticides
✔✔Chemical Degradation - ✔✔the breakdown of a pesticide by process not involving a
living organism
✔✔Chemical Name - ✔✔The scientific name of the active ingredients found in the
formulated product. this complex name is derived from the chemical structure of the
active ingredient
✔✔Chemigation - ✔✔The application of fertilizers or pesticides to soil or plants by
inclusion in irrigation water
✔✔Chemtrec - ✔✔The chemical transportation emergency center, which has a toll free
number
1-800-424-9300
that provides 24-hour information for chemical emergencies such as spills, leaks, fires,
or accidents
✔✔Chemosterolant - ✔✔A chemical compound capable of preventing animal
reproduction
✔✔Chlorinated Hydrocarbon - ✔✔A pesticide containing chlorine, carbon, and
hydrogen. Many are persistent in the environment. ex: chlordane, DDT, methoxychlor
✔✔Chlorosis - ✔✔The yellowing of a plant's normally green tissue
✔✔Cholonesterase - ✔✔a chemical catalyst (enzyme) found in animals that regulates
the activity of nerve impulses
,✔✔Chronic Toxicity - ✔✔The ability of a material to cause injury from repeated,
prolonged exposure to small amounts
✔✔Commercial Applicator - ✔✔A type of applicator certification or license for an owner
or head of a business that commercially applies pesticides on lands of another
✔✔Commercial Consultant - ✔✔a type of applicator certification or license for a
salesperson who offers technical advice or recommendations to pesticide users
✔✔Commercial Operator - ✔✔A type of certification or license for an employee of a
commercial applicator to supervise or apply pesticides on lands of another
✔✔Common Name - ✔✔A name given to a pesticide's active ingredient by a recognized
committee on pesticide nomenclature. Many pesticides are known by a number of trade
or brand names, but the actual ingredient has only one recognized common name.
Ex: Sevin = Carbaryl
✔✔Compatible - ✔✔Chemicals that can be mixed without reducing the effectiveness of
any individual chemical
✔✔Compatibility Agents - ✔✔Adjuvents used to enhance the effective mixing of two or
more different pesticide products and/or fertilizers
✔✔Complete WDO Inspection Reports - ✔✔Usually completed prior to home sales, and
contain information about the presence of WDO's, damage, and conditions conducive to
infestations
✔✔Concentration - ✔✔the amount of active ingredient in a given volume or weight of
formulated product
✔✔Contact Herbicide - ✔✔a chemical that kills primarily by contact with plant tissue
with little or no translocation
✔✔Contact insecticide - ✔✔a compound that causes death or injury to insects upon
contact. it does not need to be ingested to be toxic to the insect
✔✔contamination - ✔✔the presence of unwanted substance in or on a plant, animal,
soil, water, air, or structure (see residue)
✔✔corrosive poison - ✔✔a poison containing a strong acid or base which will severely
burn the skin, mouth, stomach, etc.
, ✔✔Cultural Control - ✔✔a pest management stratecy that involves the manipulation of
the environment to avert serious pest damage. Examples are crop rotation or pruning
✔✔Curative pesticide - ✔✔a pesticide which can inhibit or kill a disease-causing
organism after it is established in the plant or animal
✔✔Days to harvest - ✔✔the minimum number of days permitted by the law between the
last pesticide application and harvest date (same as preharvest interval)
✔✔Days to slaughter - ✔✔the minimum number of days permitted by law between the
last pesticide application and the date the animal is slaughtered
✔✔dealer manager - ✔✔a type of certification or license for an owner or employee of a
business that distributes pesticides (other than for home or garden use) at a store or
outlet
✔✔decontaminate - ✔✔to remove or break down a pesticide chemical from a surface or
substance
✔✔defoliant - ✔✔a chemical that initiates the premature drop of leaves
✔✔degradation - ✔✔the process by which a chemical compound is broken down to a
simpler compound by the action of microorganisms, water, air, sunlight, or other agents.
degradation products are usually, but not always, less toxic than the original compound.
✔✔demonstration and research - ✔✔a type of applicator certification or license for an
individual who applies experimental or restricted use pesticides for research purposes
under state or federal (experimental use permit)
✔✔deposit - ✔✔the amount of pesticide on the treated surface after application
✔✔dermal toxicity - ✔✔the ability of a pesticide to cause injury to a human or animal
when absorbed through the skin
✔✔dessicant - ✔✔a chemical that promotes drying or loss of moisture from a leaf or
other plant part
✔✔detoxify - ✔✔to render a pesticide's active ingredient or other poisonous chemical
harmless
✔✔diagnosis - ✔✔the positive identification of a problem and its cause
✔✔diluent - ✔✔any liquid or solid material used to dilute
EXAM TEST 2025/2026 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
GRADED A+
✔✔Carcinogenic - ✔✔the ability of a substance or agent to induce malignant tumors
(cancer)
✔✔Carrier - ✔✔1. A inert liquid, solid, or gas added to an active ingredient to make a
pesticide formulation
2. the material (usually water or oil) used to dilute the formulated product for application
✔✔Causal Organisms - ✔✔The organism (pathogen) that produces a given disease
✔✔Chemical Control - ✔✔A pest management strategy that involves the use of
naturally derived or synthetic chemicals that kill, attract, repel, or otherwise control the
growth of pest plants, animals, and microorganisms
EX Avicides, insecticides, rodenticides
✔✔Chemical Degradation - ✔✔the breakdown of a pesticide by process not involving a
living organism
✔✔Chemical Name - ✔✔The scientific name of the active ingredients found in the
formulated product. this complex name is derived from the chemical structure of the
active ingredient
✔✔Chemigation - ✔✔The application of fertilizers or pesticides to soil or plants by
inclusion in irrigation water
✔✔Chemtrec - ✔✔The chemical transportation emergency center, which has a toll free
number
1-800-424-9300
that provides 24-hour information for chemical emergencies such as spills, leaks, fires,
or accidents
✔✔Chemosterolant - ✔✔A chemical compound capable of preventing animal
reproduction
✔✔Chlorinated Hydrocarbon - ✔✔A pesticide containing chlorine, carbon, and
hydrogen. Many are persistent in the environment. ex: chlordane, DDT, methoxychlor
✔✔Chlorosis - ✔✔The yellowing of a plant's normally green tissue
✔✔Cholonesterase - ✔✔a chemical catalyst (enzyme) found in animals that regulates
the activity of nerve impulses
,✔✔Chronic Toxicity - ✔✔The ability of a material to cause injury from repeated,
prolonged exposure to small amounts
✔✔Commercial Applicator - ✔✔A type of applicator certification or license for an owner
or head of a business that commercially applies pesticides on lands of another
✔✔Commercial Consultant - ✔✔a type of applicator certification or license for a
salesperson who offers technical advice or recommendations to pesticide users
✔✔Commercial Operator - ✔✔A type of certification or license for an employee of a
commercial applicator to supervise or apply pesticides on lands of another
✔✔Common Name - ✔✔A name given to a pesticide's active ingredient by a recognized
committee on pesticide nomenclature. Many pesticides are known by a number of trade
or brand names, but the actual ingredient has only one recognized common name.
Ex: Sevin = Carbaryl
✔✔Compatible - ✔✔Chemicals that can be mixed without reducing the effectiveness of
any individual chemical
✔✔Compatibility Agents - ✔✔Adjuvents used to enhance the effective mixing of two or
more different pesticide products and/or fertilizers
✔✔Complete WDO Inspection Reports - ✔✔Usually completed prior to home sales, and
contain information about the presence of WDO's, damage, and conditions conducive to
infestations
✔✔Concentration - ✔✔the amount of active ingredient in a given volume or weight of
formulated product
✔✔Contact Herbicide - ✔✔a chemical that kills primarily by contact with plant tissue
with little or no translocation
✔✔Contact insecticide - ✔✔a compound that causes death or injury to insects upon
contact. it does not need to be ingested to be toxic to the insect
✔✔contamination - ✔✔the presence of unwanted substance in or on a plant, animal,
soil, water, air, or structure (see residue)
✔✔corrosive poison - ✔✔a poison containing a strong acid or base which will severely
burn the skin, mouth, stomach, etc.
, ✔✔Cultural Control - ✔✔a pest management stratecy that involves the manipulation of
the environment to avert serious pest damage. Examples are crop rotation or pruning
✔✔Curative pesticide - ✔✔a pesticide which can inhibit or kill a disease-causing
organism after it is established in the plant or animal
✔✔Days to harvest - ✔✔the minimum number of days permitted by the law between the
last pesticide application and harvest date (same as preharvest interval)
✔✔Days to slaughter - ✔✔the minimum number of days permitted by law between the
last pesticide application and the date the animal is slaughtered
✔✔dealer manager - ✔✔a type of certification or license for an owner or employee of a
business that distributes pesticides (other than for home or garden use) at a store or
outlet
✔✔decontaminate - ✔✔to remove or break down a pesticide chemical from a surface or
substance
✔✔defoliant - ✔✔a chemical that initiates the premature drop of leaves
✔✔degradation - ✔✔the process by which a chemical compound is broken down to a
simpler compound by the action of microorganisms, water, air, sunlight, or other agents.
degradation products are usually, but not always, less toxic than the original compound.
✔✔demonstration and research - ✔✔a type of applicator certification or license for an
individual who applies experimental or restricted use pesticides for research purposes
under state or federal (experimental use permit)
✔✔deposit - ✔✔the amount of pesticide on the treated surface after application
✔✔dermal toxicity - ✔✔the ability of a pesticide to cause injury to a human or animal
when absorbed through the skin
✔✔dessicant - ✔✔a chemical that promotes drying or loss of moisture from a leaf or
other plant part
✔✔detoxify - ✔✔to render a pesticide's active ingredient or other poisonous chemical
harmless
✔✔diagnosis - ✔✔the positive identification of a problem and its cause
✔✔diluent - ✔✔any liquid or solid material used to dilute
