Environmental Concerns

In the immediate area where a pesticide is released, there can be harm done to beneficial species that were not the intended target. Once released into the environment, pesticides can then move through soil, into water bodies, and through the air. As a result they can have unintended affects on a variety of plants and animals. Certain pesticides break down relatively quickly, whereas others persist over longer periods of time and can accumulate or transform into contaminant by-products.

If you are looking for a broad overview of environmental problems associated with pesticides try these websites:

Pesticides: Making the Right Choice for Protection of Health and the Environment

Pesticides Used in Our Communities: Human Health and Environmental Impacts (CELA)

Disrupting the Balance: Ecological Impacts of Pesticides in California (PANNA)