What Is A Pesticide?

Do you know what a pesticide is? Pesticides come up in conversations, in news articles and other sources of media. However, many people don’t know what pesticides are and what effects they have. Today, Dell Tech wants to help you understand how pesticides are classified and categorized in Canada.

What Is a Pesticide?

A pesticide, or Pest Control Product, is classified as any substance or device that is manufactured to keep pests under control. These pests include weeds, bugs, fungus, animals and anything else that may threaten areas including gardens, pools or your home. These pesticides can use a wide array of chemicals to specifically target any specific pest that may be considered a threat.

Many people mistake pesticides only to include insecticides as these are one of the more common pesticides that are purchased in stores. However, pesticides cover a wide variety of pests and even go as far as to include invasive plant species. There are, of course, a wide

variety of health and environmental effects that come with the use of pesticides, which is why PMRA registration applications are so vital!

Who Uses Pesticides?

Pesticides can and are used by a wide variety of people spanning from homeowners to professional business owners! While different pesticides have uses that are specific to different locations, they all have the same common goal: to eliminate the threat of pests. Of course, pests can be a much bigger problem in different locations. For example; pests affecting a restaurant is an issue that needs to be dealt with quickly and effectively. As well, invasive species threatening a crop needs to be dealt with in a timely manner or else it may very well affect the entire crop!

Pesticide Categories

Pesticides have a variety of forms and include many products, devices, substances or even organisms. Each category of pesticide has a very specific use that can repel or eliminate specific species. There is a multitude of pesticide categories, including:

Herbicides

Herbicides are pesticides that are used to combat weeds that can threaten a garden or crop. These are incredibly vital in professions such as farming or greenhouse owners as to when you have weeds that are out of control, and the crops cannot flourish. When you have weeds under control, crops can flourish by growing faster and healthier.

Insecticides

Insecticides are a common pesticide that many people have experience with. If you’ve ever had a problem with insects in your home, you’ve likely purchased an insecticide from your local shop. However, these are not just for residential uses; many industries need insecticides to keep insects under control. This is especially true in industries where insects are a direct threat to their products such as the farming or food industries.

Fungicides

Diseases in a crop can be catastrophic. Fungicides are a type of pesticide that specifically protects a crop from a variety of fungi that can spread destroy an entire crop. Fungicides are often used as a preventative measure to ensure that the crop can thrive without the risk of fungi taking over.

Animal Repellents

Animal repellents prevent animals from coming near a specified animal whether it be a yard, crop or industrial area. Animal repellents are preventative in the sense that it’s not used to kill the animal, but to repel them from coming to that area. These fall into two categories: smell and taste. Odour repellents create a scent that keeps the animals away due to its scent, while taste repellents ensure that the animals will have an adverse effect should they bite into the targeted item.

Insect & Rodent Control Devices

Insect and rodent control devices are common items that many people have in their homes or business at any given time. These devices include mosquito zappers and mouse traps. Often, these devices work by first attracting the pest before entrapping or eliminating them.

Algaecides

Algaecides are commonly used in pools to remove a buildup of algae. Many have seen the effects of algae – it makes a pool go from crystal to clear to a disgusting mixture of green and cloudy. This is where algaecide comes into play: by using it, it effectively removes the algae and can ensure that a pool is kept clear and clean. There are a variety of common pool algae that can affect a pool with specific algaecides for each one.

Hazard Classification

It’s important to note that there are laws in place to ensure that pesticides are appropriately handled and labelled. It is recommended to provide safety data sheets that communicate the hazards to anyone that purchases, receives or uses the product. If you are creating a product, it’s important to remember that manufacturers and importers of chemical products are required by law to evaluate the hazards of the product that they are manufacturing or handling.

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