WHAT IS A PESTICIDE EXACTLY?
Did you know that ‘pesticide’ is an umbrella term that refers to a wide range of compounds including herbicides (designed to kill plants), insecticides, fungicides, rodenticides, molluscicides and nematicides, but also include plant growth regulators, defoliants and desiccants?
Pesticide products (such as Roundup) consist of active and inert ingredients. The active ingredient is the chemical designed to kill the targeted pest. For example, glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup. However, inert ingredients often make up the bulk of the product and include emulsifiers, solvents, carriers, aerosol propellants, fragrances and dyes. There is no requirement for pesticide manufacturers to disclose a list of the inert ingredients in their products.
Pesticides are used in our towns, cities, homes and gardens, but are mainly used in the growing of agricultural crops.
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