Pesticides are substances or mixtures intended for:
Pesticides are used on food and feed crops, lawns and golf courses, in schools, in the home and other buildings, and to disinfect swimming pools and hospital equipment. Because of their wide application, EPA “registers” (licenses) thousands of pesticide products in the U.S. No pesticide may legally be sold or used unless the chemical’s label bears an EPA registration number.
EPA must ensure that these pesticides will not present unreasonable risks to people, wildlife, fish, and plants, including endangered species. Over the years, EPA has banned specific pesticides, including aldrin, DDT, dinoseb, and vinyl chloride. Others are classified as “restricted-use,” meaning they must be applied by or under the direct supervision of a certified applicator. Banned or restricted chemicals are acutely toxic to farmworkers and applicators, as well as various mammals, birds, and aquatic animals, and have environmental effects long after suspended use.
The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) provides for federal regulation of pesticide distribution, sale, and use. For example:
Pesticides are regulated under FIFRA until they are disposed, after which they are regulated under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) which ensures responsible management of hazardous and nonhazardous waste. Some pesticides are regulated as hazardous waste when disposed. Many are regulated as universal wastes.
Registration and labeling.
Pesticide management.
Worker protection.
Restricted use pesticides.