title: Public attitude toward pesticides. A random survey of pesticide use in Allegheny County, Pa.
abstract: Pesticide use was examined by means of a random survey in Allegheny County, Pa., in October and November 1973. The objectives included gaining insight into the need for a new community pesticide program and estimating its public acceptance. The 110 survey sites were grouped as single-family dwellings, commercial and recreational lawns, institutions, farms, rights-of-way, and wasteland. In the single-family dwellings, most householders (85 percent) used a pesticide in the previous 12 months, usually an aerosol insecticide (76 percent) or herbicide (55 percent). Their pesticide selections were most often based on advertisements of availabel products. A high percentage lacked either the interest or the knowledge of the information on the pesticide's label. No observation in this or any other study supports the need for a new special program in pesticides or indicates that a substantial segment of the public would use its services. The main users of "hard" pesticides were the golf courses, rights-of-way, and one farm-nursery. The rights-of-way used chemicals only for vegetation control. Utilities and railroads contracted with pesticide companies for this work. Municipal users applied pesticides recommended by dealers. The golf courses and a farm-nursery used a broad range of fungicides, insecticides, and herbicides, which they selected because of information received from the Pennsylvania Extension Service and professional organizations.
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols; D000383:Agriculture; D001290:Attitude; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003132:Commerce; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D004348:Drug Labeling; D004356:Drug Storage; D004363:Drug Utilization; D006540:Herbicides; D006801:Humans; D007306:Insecticides; D010414:Pennsylvania; D010575:Pesticides; D011998:Recreation; D012494:Sampling Studies
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D006540:Herbicides; D007306:Insecticides; D010575:Pesticides