Dopers, I am hoping you can help me out with some curiosity I have regarding a subject I know little about and am not even sure how to research.
A friend living in South Australia is thinking of buying a house in Lenswood, which is by all reports an “apple growing town.” I think it’s a great-looking property and home for a decent price (I’m sorry I can’t provide the link for privacy reasons). She liked the house initially, too, but someone remarked that a lot of pesticide spraying goes on thereabouts, and it’s got her worried that she and her family and pets will end up poisoned – if not directly by the spraying, then by using the rainwater (which collects in a trough running off the roof) or by using the well-water on the property. I think this unlikely – people have been living in the area and on the property for many years – and it’s not THAT good of a price, if you get my meaning. So I don’t think she should be put off the house by that.
Sooo, I’m curious:
- What kinds of pesticides are used in apple-growing?
- How dangerous are they to people?
- How much of a buffer zone does there need to be between pesticide spraying and residential areas to provide safety? (One answer my friend received on this was 2-5 km, which seemed pretty huge to me, but again I don’t know much about this.)
- Can someone provide a reliable reference for this topic?
Thanks in advance!