WASHINGTON PESTICIDE LAWS TEST PAPER QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS 2025/2026 ALL RATED A+
✔✔When the pest reaches the _____, pest management procedures need to be applied
to prevent the pest from economically damaging populations. - ✔✔Economic threshold
✔✔Which of the following is not considered a mechanical control method:
a. fencing a crop to prevent deer entry
b. netting blueberry bushes to keep birds away
c. releasing a parasitic wasp
d. washing of aphids with a stream of water
e. removing a rhododendron with a root disease - ✔✔c. releasing a parasitic wasp
✔✔Which of the following is a cultural control method:
a. fertilization
b. planting time
c. pruning
d. crop rotation
e. all of the above - ✔✔e. all of the above
✔✔The first step in a pest management program is to identify the pest (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔The goal of a pest management program is to eliminate the pest (T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔Pest control that involves the use of numerous tactics is called _____. -
✔✔Integrated Pest Management
✔✔Which pesticide can be absorbed by the plant and translocated within the plant? -
✔✔Systemic
✔✔Which was not a pre-1900s pesticide?
a. Bordeaux
b. nicotine
c. DDT
d. sulfur
e. lead arsenate - ✔✔c. DDT
✔✔DDT was banned because of its: - ✔✔stability and persistence
✔✔Legal control utilizes _____. - ✔✔quarantines
✔✔Piscicides are pesticides that control: - ✔✔Fish
✔✔Herbicides and insecticides are both pesticides (T/F) - ✔✔True
,✔✔Synthetic organic pesticides were first introduced: - ✔✔Post-WWII
✔✔The only purpose of of federal and state pesticide laws is to protect the environment
from hazardous pollutants (T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔The EPA has the authority to stop the sale or use of any pesticide (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔A dealer-manager must be present in a store or outlet when a commercial pesticide
is sold or distributed (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔Restricted use pesticides can be used by any person, at any time, as long as they
are purchased by a certified applicator (T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔All pesticide products containing the same active ingredient are classified the same
regardless of the formulation (T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔The WSDA administers the pesticide licensing program in WA (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔Every pesticide in WA must be first registered with the WSDA (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔SLN registration allows WSDA to register additional application sites to a federal
label (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔Under a private applicators supervision, an unlicensed applicator can handle
restricted use products (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔How many recertification credits does a commercial applicator need? - ✔✔40 credits
in 5 years
✔✔When do you choose 'all of the above' on a multiple choice test:
a. never
b. sometimes
c. always
d. all of the above - ✔✔d. all of the above
✔✔EPA and WSDA are the only agencies that regulate pesticides (T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔Private applicators are subject to criminal penalties for unlawful conduct under
FIFRA (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔Should you read and follow the label? - ✔✔True (Yes)
, ✔✔Regardless of the signal word, all pesticide labels carry the words "KEEP OUT OF
REACH OF CHILDREN" (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔All formulations of the same active ingredient carry the same signal word (T/F) -
✔✔False
✔✔The skull and crossbones symbol must appear on every pesticide (T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔Which signal words indicate that a pesticide is highly toxic to humans? -
✔✔DANGER-POISON
✔✔An active ingredient may have one technical name or common name but may be in
products with several different trade/brand names (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔The hazard associated with a pesticide product depends entirely on the toxicity of
the active ingredient (T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔The most common route of pesticide exposure leading to poisoning is inhalation
(T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔Because of the protective nature of eye tissues, very little pesticide that contacts the
eyes is actually absorbed (T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔Toxicity from small repeated exposures to a pesticide over a period of time is a
called _____. - ✔✔Chronic toxicity
✔✔The signal word on a pesticide label indicates its _____. - ✔✔Toxicity
✔✔Which signal word would indicate that a product is least toxic to an applicator? -
✔✔Caution
✔✔Applicators who regularly use organophosphate and carbonate insecticides are
advised to have a pre-season blood test to establish their baseline level of _____. -
✔✔cholinesterase
✔✔If a pesticide is spilled on the skin or clothing, the first reaction should be to ____. -
✔✔remove contaminated clothing and wash affected area with soap and water
✔✔Under the Worker Protection Standard, a farm laborer who hand picks vegetables is
considered a _____ (worker or handler). - ✔✔Worker
✔✔Pesticide respirators should be approved by ____. - ✔✔NIOSH and MSHA
AND ANSWERS 2025/2026 ALL RATED A+
✔✔When the pest reaches the _____, pest management procedures need to be applied
to prevent the pest from economically damaging populations. - ✔✔Economic threshold
✔✔Which of the following is not considered a mechanical control method:
a. fencing a crop to prevent deer entry
b. netting blueberry bushes to keep birds away
c. releasing a parasitic wasp
d. washing of aphids with a stream of water
e. removing a rhododendron with a root disease - ✔✔c. releasing a parasitic wasp
✔✔Which of the following is a cultural control method:
a. fertilization
b. planting time
c. pruning
d. crop rotation
e. all of the above - ✔✔e. all of the above
✔✔The first step in a pest management program is to identify the pest (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔The goal of a pest management program is to eliminate the pest (T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔Pest control that involves the use of numerous tactics is called _____. -
✔✔Integrated Pest Management
✔✔Which pesticide can be absorbed by the plant and translocated within the plant? -
✔✔Systemic
✔✔Which was not a pre-1900s pesticide?
a. Bordeaux
b. nicotine
c. DDT
d. sulfur
e. lead arsenate - ✔✔c. DDT
✔✔DDT was banned because of its: - ✔✔stability and persistence
✔✔Legal control utilizes _____. - ✔✔quarantines
✔✔Piscicides are pesticides that control: - ✔✔Fish
✔✔Herbicides and insecticides are both pesticides (T/F) - ✔✔True
,✔✔Synthetic organic pesticides were first introduced: - ✔✔Post-WWII
✔✔The only purpose of of federal and state pesticide laws is to protect the environment
from hazardous pollutants (T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔The EPA has the authority to stop the sale or use of any pesticide (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔A dealer-manager must be present in a store or outlet when a commercial pesticide
is sold or distributed (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔Restricted use pesticides can be used by any person, at any time, as long as they
are purchased by a certified applicator (T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔All pesticide products containing the same active ingredient are classified the same
regardless of the formulation (T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔The WSDA administers the pesticide licensing program in WA (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔Every pesticide in WA must be first registered with the WSDA (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔SLN registration allows WSDA to register additional application sites to a federal
label (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔Under a private applicators supervision, an unlicensed applicator can handle
restricted use products (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔How many recertification credits does a commercial applicator need? - ✔✔40 credits
in 5 years
✔✔When do you choose 'all of the above' on a multiple choice test:
a. never
b. sometimes
c. always
d. all of the above - ✔✔d. all of the above
✔✔EPA and WSDA are the only agencies that regulate pesticides (T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔Private applicators are subject to criminal penalties for unlawful conduct under
FIFRA (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔Should you read and follow the label? - ✔✔True (Yes)
, ✔✔Regardless of the signal word, all pesticide labels carry the words "KEEP OUT OF
REACH OF CHILDREN" (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔All formulations of the same active ingredient carry the same signal word (T/F) -
✔✔False
✔✔The skull and crossbones symbol must appear on every pesticide (T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔Which signal words indicate that a pesticide is highly toxic to humans? -
✔✔DANGER-POISON
✔✔An active ingredient may have one technical name or common name but may be in
products with several different trade/brand names (T/F) - ✔✔True
✔✔The hazard associated with a pesticide product depends entirely on the toxicity of
the active ingredient (T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔The most common route of pesticide exposure leading to poisoning is inhalation
(T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔Because of the protective nature of eye tissues, very little pesticide that contacts the
eyes is actually absorbed (T/F) - ✔✔False
✔✔Toxicity from small repeated exposures to a pesticide over a period of time is a
called _____. - ✔✔Chronic toxicity
✔✔The signal word on a pesticide label indicates its _____. - ✔✔Toxicity
✔✔Which signal word would indicate that a product is least toxic to an applicator? -
✔✔Caution
✔✔Applicators who regularly use organophosphate and carbonate insecticides are
advised to have a pre-season blood test to establish their baseline level of _____. -
✔✔cholinesterase
✔✔If a pesticide is spilled on the skin or clothing, the first reaction should be to ____. -
✔✔remove contaminated clothing and wash affected area with soap and water
✔✔Under the Worker Protection Standard, a farm laborer who hand picks vegetables is
considered a _____ (worker or handler). - ✔✔Worker
✔✔Pesticide respirators should be approved by ____. - ✔✔NIOSH and MSHA
