Know Your Active Ingredients

Pesticides are made up of two types of ingredients — active and inert. The active ingredient or “AI” is the chemical portion of a pesticide product that can kill or control a pest. The remainder of a formulated pesticide product consists of one or more inert ingredients, such as water and solvents. The essence of the Our Water, Our World Program is the identification and selection of pesticides with active ingredients less likely to cause water pollution. The resource and table listed below provide information and identify less-toxic pesticides as options to more conventional pesticides.

Criteria and process for developing less-toxic products lists

Less-toxic Pest Products

Disclaimer: The product list does not include all less-toxic product types or active ingredients – only those most commonly available to, or used by, consumers for pest prevention and less-toxic pest control. Although water pollution prevention agencies that sponsor the program update the list annually, the trade names given for each product or formulation are intended as examples only. Different products with the exact same active ingredients may be equally suitable. No endorsement of specific brand name products is intended, nor is criticism implied of similar products that are not mentioned.

The product label lists the target pest for each product. This means that the product is registered for use against that specific pest. As with all products on the market, listing on the label is not a guarantee that the product will be effective against that pest under all circumstances, or that the product is the best choice for managing that pest.

 

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