What is the first step in the triple rinse procedure?

• A. Empty as much of pesticide into the sprayer. Turn containers that are 5 gallons or smaller upside down over the spray tank
• B. Add water or the mixing liquid to fill the empty container about 1/4 full
• C. Cap container and shake thoroughly
• D. Drain container completely by holding it over spray tank or pumping out liquid

Answer: (A)

The first step is to empty as much pesticide into the spray tank as possible and turn the container upside down over the spray tank to drain the remaining liquid. This maximizes product recovery, ensures most of the active ingredient is used in the application, and begins the process with the container already oriented to collect any residual liquid into the tank rather than letting it escape. After this, the rinsing steps—adding a small amount of water, caping and shaking to loosen residue, and then repeating rinse cycles to collect the rest—are performed to capture what remains. Draining the container completely comes after those rinses to ensure all liquid is recovered, so it isn’t the first step.