What happens when pesticides freeze?

[Jstpssng]

Glyphosate's a salt and they say that freezing won't hurt it... I will know for sure next month when I check the treatment I did on invasive plants at my Mother's property. The bottle of Spinosad that I use for my potatoes et.al. isn't supposed to get frozen but got left in the shed last winter. I just would like to know if it becomes less potent or somehow becomes toxic to humans. at 15$/quart I would rather use it than replace it, even if it's less effective.

 

[oosik]

I've had a gallon jug of RoundUp now for six years. It's out in the work shed. It freezes every winter. I have NO idea what happens to it. I know it kills weeds - year after year.

 

[Jstpssng]

I've had a gallon jug of RoundUp now for six years. It's out in the work shed. It freezes every winter. I have NO idea what happens to it. I know it kills weeds - year after year.

As I said Glyphosate is a salt, and Ok according to everything I've read. I'm unsure about others, where I read "do not freeze."

I will probably just suck it up and buy another bottle of Captain Jack's or Neem, and make sure that I store it properly this time.

 

[Alan W.]

Dad always kept his chemicals in a shed and I know they got cold enough to freeze.
They always seemed to work fine.

 

[MossRoad]

To be clear, the OP is NOT talking about Glyphosate freezing. He mentions it, but he's asking about Spinosad, which is an insecticide.

 

[MossRoad]

Spinosad is also highly toxic to bees when wet.

 

[MossRoad]

Here appears to be an answer to your question about freezing it....
Spinosad storage issues - General Fruit Growing - Growing Fruit

 

[ericm979]

It's chemicals in water. The water and chemical molecules aren't changed by freezing, only the way they arrange themselves is changed (liquid vs solid). Once it's totally thawed and remixed it'll be like nothing happened.

Some of the chemicals will freeze at different temperatures. Often the water freezes first and then other chemicals freeze later if at all. If you used it in this partially frozen state the concentration would be stronger in an unpredictable way, which could have negative effects on the results or persistence in the environment. BTW that's how applejack is made- freeze hard cider enough to freeze the water but not the alcohol. It has a similar effect to distilling. Unfortunately there are other compounds in there that also are concentrated by the method and are more unhealthy than alcohol. Good distillers can fractionate those out so they don't end up in the final product but that can't be done with the applejack method.

 

[Jstpssng]

Here appears to be an answer to your question about freezing it....
Spinosad storage issues - General Fruit Growing - Growing Fruit

Thank you, that's just what I needed to know.
Last year I contacted the local Cooperative Extension, as my father had left several 5 gallon containers of liquid fertilizer of unknown vintage and concentrations. In that instance they said not to use it because the chemical composition will indeed change including PH and toxicity.

 

[Jstpssng]

Spinosad is also highly toxic to bees when wet.

Yes, which is one reason why I use it at night, when they are less active. My spuds aren't in bloom anyways so shouldn't attract many bees.