Pesticides are substances that are meant to control pests or weeds. The term pesticide includes all of the following: herbicide, insecticide, insect growth regulator, nematicide, termiticide, molluscicide, piscicide, avicide, rodenticide, predacide, bactericide, insect repellent, animal repellent, antimicrobial, fungicide, disinfectant (antimicrobial), and sanitizer. The most common of these are herbicides which account for approximately 80% of all pesticide use. Most pesticides are intended to serve as plant protection products (also known as crop protection products), which in general, protect plants from weeds, fungi, or insects.
In general, a pesticide is a chemical or biological agent (such as a virus, bacterium, antimicrobial, or disinfectant) that deters, incapacitates, kills, or otherwise discourages pests. Target pests can include insects, plant pathogens, weeds, mollusks, birds, mammals, fish, nematodes (roundworms), and microbes that destroy property, cause nuisance, or spread disease, or are disease vectors. Although pesticides have benefits, some also have drawbacks, such as potential toxicity to humans and other species. According to the , 9 of the 12 most dangerous and persistent organic chemicals are organochlorine pesticides.
| Harm |
Annual US cost |
| Public health |
$1.1 billion |
| Pesticide resistance in pest |
$1.5 billion |
| Crop losses caused by pesticides |
$1.4 billion |
| Bird losses due to pesticides |
$2.2 billion |
| Groundwater contamination |
$2.0 billion |
| Other costs |
$1.4 billion |
| Total costs |
$9.6 billion |
| Type |
Action |
| Algicides |
Control algae in lakes, canals, swimming pools, water tanks, and other sites |
|
Antifouling agents |
Kill or repel organisms that attach to underwater surfaces, such as boat bottoms |
| Antimicrobials |
Kill microorganisms (such as bacteria and viruses) |
| Attractants |
Attract pests (for example, to lure an insect or rodent to a trap). (However, food is not considered a pesticide when used as an attractant.) |
| Biopesticides |
Biopesticides are certain types of pesticides derived from such natural materials as animals, plants, bacteria, and certain minerals |
| Biocides |
Kill microorganisms |
|
Disinfectants and sanitizers |
Kill or inactivate disease-producing microorganisms on inanimate objects |
| Fungicides |
Kill fungi (including blights, mildews, molds, and rusts) |
| Fumigants |
Produce gas or vapor intended to destroy pests in buildings or soil |
| Herbicides |
Kill weeds and other plants that grow where they are not wanted |
| Insecticides |
Kill insects and other arthropods |
| Miticides |
Kill mites that feed on plants and animals |
| Microbial pesticides |
Microorganisms that kill, inhibit, or out compete pests, including insects or other microorganisms |
| Molluscicides |
Kill snails and slugs |
| Nematicides |
Kill nematodes (microscopic, worm-like organisms that feed on plant roots) |
| Ovicides |
Kill eggs of insects and mites |
| Pheromones |
Biochemicals used to disrupt the mating behavior of insects |
| Repellents |
Repel pests, including insects (such as mosquitoes) and birds |
| Rodenticides |
Control mice and other rodents |
...
Wikipedia
