Chapter 2 - Quantitative Research Findings and Implications (cont.)

15. For the three product categories, respondents indicated that the following information is important, and they would like to locate it easily:

• Directions for use,
• Description of what the product does,
• Description of where not to use the product,
• Information about effects on personal and children's health (except for cleaners users), and
• Emergency information.

16. In all three product categories, respondents always indicated that the least important information to them on current labels was the positive environmental claims statements (e.g., contains no CFCs, contains no phosphates) and the name of the manufacturer. In all three product categories, respondents ranked label information about disposal, storage, ingredients, and a consumer information phone number as the least important.

17. For outdoor pesticides and indoor insecticides, respondents consistently indicated that they do not read or give importance to statements on environmental claims (e.g., contains no CFCs).

18. In all three product categories, there is a similarity between the label information perceived to be the most important and the information that respondents indicated that they wish to find most easily. The top three (in order of preference) are: (1) directions for use, (2) a description of what the product does, and (3) precautionary statements related to human health (please see Table 2-10).

Findings on Label Format (Chart 2-7, Table 2-14)

19. After being given a description of different formats, respondents in all three product categories preferred a box format on the label, like the nutrition facts box, that presents information consistently among products in the same category.

Findings on Respondents' Preference for FIFRA versus Non-FIFRA Product Labels (Chart 2-8, Chart 2-9)⁽¹⁾

20. Over half of the respondents in the household cleaner category preferred the FIFRA label (the type of label appearing on EPA registered products), including the overall label and the subparts on directions for use, where the product should not be used, effects on personal health, ingredients, storage, disposal, and emergency information, over the non-FIFRA label (labels appearing on non-registered, but similar, products).

21. Outdoor pesticide and indoor insecticide users read the storage and disposal information significantly more than household cleaner respondents.

22. The most frequent reasons given for not reading storage and disposal information in the store was that it is "information they already know," followed by "just don't read it."

23. The following represents the findings of an "open-ended" question regarding methods of disposal:⁽²⁾

• In all three categories, most respondents disposed of pesticides and cleaner products or packages in the trash;
• Household cleaner users recycled more frequently than those responding in the indoor and outdoor product categories;
• One in ten outdoor pesticide users disposed through special collections, which is more than users of indoor insecticides and cleaners;
• Less than 10% overall used special collections;
• Cleaner users found it acceptable to dispose of products/residues down the drain;
• Few users indicated that they disposed of products down the drain or diluted and used them up; and
• Virtually no consumers said they call the city or county for disposal advice;

24. There were no significant differences in responses from respondents in the states with strong household hazardous waste programs, versus those respondents from states that do not have strong household hazardous wastes programs.

Findings on Recycling Claims and Symbols (Chart 2-13, Table 2-18)

25. A high percentage of survey participants responded either "Not really sure" or gave an incorrect response for every question under each symbol. This was true even allowing for local recycling programs that might make some answers correct for panelists in those localities.

1. Non-FIFRA labels do not exist for the indoor insecticides and outdoor pesticides product categories.

2. It is not known whether respondents were referring to the disposal of containers, unused product, or both.

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