1. PESTICIDES AND PEST
CONTROL
The Walker School
Mr. Thomas Cooper

2. HOW DOES NATURE KEEP PEST
POPULATIONS UNDER
CONTROL?

3. Natural Methods
 Predators
 Parasites
 Diseases

4. WHAT ARE BIOCIDES?

5. Biocide Categories
 Broad-Spectrum Agents
 Narrow-Spectrum Agents

6. Categories
 Disinfectants
 Preservatives
 Pest Control
 Embalming

7. Pesticide Variables
 Chemical Composition
 Amount of Active Ingredient
 Persistence

8. WHAT WAS THE FIRST
GENERATION OF PESTICIDES
AND REPELLENTS?

9. First Generation – Natural Botanicals
 Before 500 B.C. – Sulfur,
Arsenic, Lead, Mercury
 1600 A.D. – Nicotine
Sulfate
 1800 A.D. – Pyrethrum,
Rotenone
 1939 A.D. - DDT

10. WHAT IS THE SECOND
GENERATION OF PESTICIDES?

11. Types of Pesticides

12. DDT
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDT

13. Rachel Carson & Silent Spring
 Birds
 Toxins
 Bioaccumulation

14. Reasons for the Initial DDT Ban
 A broad-spectrum chemical that kills many
beneficial organisms
 A persistent chemical that remains in the
environment for 15 years, or more.
 Reduced populations of many birds.
 Some preliminary evidence that it caused cancer.
 Became less effective over time.

15. THE DIRTY DOZEN

16. Persistent Organic Pollutants
http://www.ienearth.org/pops_2002.html

17. PESTICIDE USE IN THE U.S.

19. Insecticide Use in U.S. (2002)
http://www.croplifefoundation.org/cpri_npud2002.htm

20. National Pesticide Use Database
http://www.ncfap.org/database/default.htm

21. WHAT ARE THE PROS OF
PESTICIDES?

22. Pros of Bioicides
 controls organisms which are considered harmful
 prevents sickness in humans that could be caused by
moldy food or diseased produce
 clears roadside weeds, trees and brush
 kills invasive weeds in parks and wilderness areas,
which may cause environmental damage
 controls algae and aquatic plants that interfere with
activities like swimming and fishing
 used in grocery stores and food storage facilities to
manage rodents and insects that infest food such as
grain

23. The Ideal Biocide
 Affects only the target
organism
 Does not cause genetic
resistance in the target
organism
 Disappears or breaks down
into harmless chemicals
after doing it’s job
 Is more cost effective then
doing nothing

24. WHAT ARE THE CONS OF
PESTICIDES?

25. Cons of Biocides
 Accelerates the development of genetic resistance
 Kills beneficial species as well as the target species
 95% + end up in the atmosphere, surface water,
ground water, bottom sediments, food and non-
target organisms

26. Effects to Wildlife
 Reduces pollination of vital crops
 Kills many pollinators, birds and fish
 Accelerates the loss of threatened and endangered
species

27. Effects to Humans – Linked To…
 Cancer
 Childhood Leukemia
 Birth Defects
 Behavioral Disorders

28. HOW ARE PESTICIDES
REGULATED IN THE UNITED
STATES?

29. FIFRA (1947, 1972)
http://www.epa.gov/lawsregs/laws/fifra.html

30. Food Quality Protection Act (1996)

31. Facts
 Many American’s frequently use biocides in the
home.
 Many of the 165 approved ingredients in biocides
are know carcinogens
 Laws regulating biocides are inadequate.

32. WHAT ARE OTHER WAYS
TO CONTROL PESTS?

33. Alternative Methods
 Cultivation Practices
 Genetic Engineering
 Biological Pest Control
 Insect Birth Control
 Expose Foods to Gamma Radiation

34. Biological Pest Control

35. Introduce Hormone Disrupters to
Reduce Insect Populations
MH
Pupa
MH
MH
JH Larva
MH
Eggs
JH
JH

36. IS INTEGRATED PEST
MANAGEMENT THE ANSWER?

37. Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/ipm.htm