Pesticides

DEQ’s pesticide program is responsible for receiving, reviewing, and issuing pesticide permits. It is also responsible for performing inspections, compliance monitoring, and enforcement on the sale, distribution and application use of insecticides, fungicides, and rodenticides. DEQ also regulates the importation, sale, distribution and use of pesticide devices. A pesticide is any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest. This also applies to herbicides and chlorine products. Many household products are considered pesticides. They are:

• Cockroach sprays and baits
• Insect repellants
• Rat and other rodent poisons
• Flea and tick sprays, powders, and pet collars
• Kitchen, laundry, and bath disinfectants and sanitizers
• Mold and mildew products
• Lawn and garden products, such as weed killers
• and swimming pool chlorine products.

Misbranded pesticides are products that do not have the labels in the English language and do not have the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) registration and establishment numbers. Learn more about the use of unregistered pesticides. The Division of Quarantine and Custom intercepts all imported misbranded pesticides and related products. The Division also reports to DEQ for appropriate enforcement action. The pesticide program works with the Northern Marianas College-Cooperative Research, Education and Extension Service (NMC-CREES) to provide pesticide training courses for pesticide applicators certification for private and commercial applicators.

Storage and Disposal

Improper pesticide storage and disposal can be hazardous to human health and the environment. Follow these safety recommendations:

• Buy only the amount of pesticide that you will need in the near future. Don't stockpile.
• Follow all storage instructions on the pesticide label.
• Store pesticides high enough away from the reach of children and pets. If possible, keep pesticides in a locked and vented cabinet.
• Keep pesticides away from food, animal feed or medical supplies.
• Keep pesticides in their original containers, inlcuding the label listing the active ingredients, directions for use, and storage requirements.

To dispose of pesticides and other hazardous household substances, follow the disposal advice on the label. Otherwise:

• Dispose small amounts of excess pesticides by using them according to the directions on the label.
• Contact DEQ at telephone no 664-8500 or the DPW Solid Waste Management at telephone no 322-2745.
• Do not pour left over pesticides down the sink, into the toilet, or down a sewer or stormdrain. If pesticides reach surface waters, they may harm fish, plants and other living things.

Pesticide Permitting

Permits are required prior to use of pesticides. The fee for TERMITICIDE (structural) treatment is fifty dollars ($50.00). This permit is required for the pesticide application to prior to any pesticide treatment on the foundation or ground area surround the foundation.  Here are some guidelines.

The Pesticide Applicator Certification application fee is three hundred dollars ($300.00) for commercial applicators and one hundred dollars ($100.00) for private applicators. The permit must be renewed at least thirty (30) days before the expiration of the certification.

Persons engaged in the sale or distribution of restricted use pestides and who is not a certified applicator shall obtain a Pesticide Dealer's License Application from DEQ. This application fee is two hundred dollars ($200.00) and must be renewed each year at least thirty days before the expiration of the license.

Persons desiring to import a pesticide into the CNMI shall submit a Notice of Intent to Import pesticides and devices to DEQ at least ten (10) working days prior to the arrival of the pesticide shipment, accompanied by a filing fee of fifteen dollars ($15.00) per pesticide general use per shipment and fifty dollars ($50.00) per pesticide of restricted use per shipment. Upon arrival of the pesticide shipment into the CNMI, the person or company must submit a Notice of Arrival of pesticide and devices shipment. Pesticide shipment may be detained or denied access if the importer fails to submit a DEQ approved notice of intent to import and notice of arrival of pesticide products. These products may then be confiscated and exported to the originating country or disposed of by DEQ at the expense of the importer.

Pesticide Regulations

The Pesticides Regulations were established to control the importation, distribution, sale and use of pesticides to prevent environmental contamination and protect public health.

The following documents are available regarding this topic:

Avoid Using Unregistered Products-Flyer

Avoid Using Unregistered Products 3-fold Brochure

Pesticide Regulations

CNMI Pesticide Regulations.1994-current

Application for Pesticide Certification

Pesticide Use-TERMITICIDE (Structural) Treatment Application

Dealer License Application Form