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GREENCAP GreenCAP Primer 1. What is in a pesticide product? 2. What is the difference between chemical pest control and integrated pest management (IPM)? 3. What you should remember about pesticides.
Active Ingredients are biologically and chemically chosen to kill the target pest - the unwanted insect, weed or fungus. Active ingredients typically make up 1-3 % of the product. Inert Ingredients. So-called "inerts" are NOT biologically inactive. These secret ingredients are the dust, the solution, or the granule that "carries" the active ingredient. These solvents, propellants, preservatives, emulsifiers and surfactants are typically 97% or more of the product. They are used to make the active ingredient more toxic or more long-acting. Some are more toxic than the active ingredient. They may be petrochemicals such as benzene, toluene, or xylene. Manufacturers argue that these ingredients are protected by trade secret laws. Therefore they hide the identity of these ingredients from the public and, in many cases, from the EPA. Contaminants and Impurities such as dioxin and DDT are not purposefully added but are a result of the chemical production process. Metabolites are chemical breakdown products which form when the pesticide mixes with air, water, soil or living organisms. The break down products can be more hazardous than the parent pesticide. 2. WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHEMICAL PEST CONTROL AND INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT?
3. WHAT YOU SHOULD REMEMBER ABOUT "PESTICIDES". The term "pesticide" refers to insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and rodenticides. The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) applies to all substances intended to kill, control or repel pests. Wood preservatives and disinfectants are also regulated under FIFRA. Pesticides are not thoroughly tested. Only a few of the thousands of pesticides have been tested for chronic health or environmental effects. EPA can waive all chronic toxicity testing for non-agricultural pesticides in common use. EPA does not require that pesticides be tested for effects on the immune system or hormone system. Pesticides are not tested for the effects of multiple "real world" exposures. EPA does not require testing of so- called "inert" ingredients (which does not mean biologically inactive) or formulated pesticide products. Little is known about the effects of pesticides in combination with other pesticides or the interactions of pesticides with other substances such as prescription medicines. EPA registration does NOT mean the EPA approves a pesticide. Even if studies show that a pesticide is a threat to human health, EPA will still register it if the EPA decides that there are economic, social or environmental benefits that outweigh the identified risks. (Remember, most risks are unidentified.) Frequently, the information used to make these judgments is supplied by or heavily influenced by the pesticide manufacturers. EPA regulations prohibit pesticide manufacturers and distributors from making safety claims. Therefore, be wary of anyone who uses phrases such as "non-toxic" or "harmless" or claims that pesticides are "safe" when used according to the product label. EPA prohibits any statement or picture that implies that a pesticide is approved or endorsed by any federal agency or that discounts using safety precautions.
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