What is the difference between a pesticide label and a Safety Data Sheet (SDS)?

• A. The SDS provides use directions and restrictions required by law; the label contains safety and hazard information.
• B. The label provides use directions and restrictions required by law; the SDS contains detailed safety and hazard information about the product.
• C. The label and SDS are interchangeable and contain the same information.
• D. The SDS replaces the label for aquatic-use scenarios.

Answer: (B)

Pesticide labels are the legally binding instructions for how to use a product. They specify where, when, and how to apply it, including allowed sites, application rates, timing, restricted-use classifications, PPE requirements, reentry intervals, and how to store, spill, or dispose of the product. The Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is the safety-focused companion document that provides detailed hazard and safety information about the product—its composition, health and environmental hazards, first aid measures, firefighting instructions, spill response, handling and storage guidelines, exposure controls, and ecological data. These two documents serve different purposes and are not interchangeable. In aquatic-use situations, the label governs how the product may be used around water bodies, while the SDS informs workers about hazards and protective precautions but does not replace the label’s use directions.