TERMITICIDE LEACHATE FROM BUILDING FOUNDATION DRAINS

This study determined whether termiticides (insecticides that are form ulated and applied for termite control), applied according to label di rections to the soil surrounding basement walls, can leach into founda tion drainpipes. A licensed applicator injected silt loam and loamy sa nd soils adjacent to full-scale basement walls with technical chlordan e and chlorpyrifos, according to label directions, using standard rod- injection equipment and procedures. During the rod injection, the term iticide flowed directly into foundation drainpipes at a rate of 300 mg technical chlordane and 180 mg chlorpyrifos per meter length of drain pipe. More termiticide was injected into the soil at deeper depths th an at shallower depths. Over an eight-month period, 2 mg technical chl ordane and 16 mg chlorpyrifos per m length of drain pipe were leached into the drainage system. It is concluded that, when applied according to label directions, termiticide can leach from foundation drainpipes , especially during injection. Recommendations include modifying equip ment and the redding technique to eliminate direct injection into drai npipes, increasing the number of injection holes to reduce termiticide volume per hole, and modifying injection protocol when shrinkage crac ks are present.