Here are some general questions people may ask about pesticide and pesticide products.

What is a pesticide?

A pesticide is any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest. Though often misunderstood to refer only to insecticides, the term pesticide also applies to herbicides, fungicides, and various other substances used to control pests. Under United States law, a pesticide is also any substance or mixture of substances intended for use as a plant regulator, defoliant, or desiccant.

What is a pest?

Pests are living organisms that live where they are not wanted or that cause damage to crops, humans or other animals. Here are some examples insects, mice and other animals, unwanted plants (weeds), fungi, microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses.

Do household products contain pesticides?

Many household products are pesticides. Here is a list of these common products that are considered pesticides:

• Cockroach sprays and baits
• Insect repellents for personal use.
• Rat and other rodent poisons.
• Flea and tick sprays, powders, and pet collars.
• Kitchen, laundry, and bath disinfectants and sanitizers.
• Products that kill mold and mildew.
• Some lawn and garden products, such as weed killers.
• Some swimming pool chemicals.

What about pest control devices?

A pest control "device" is any instrument or gadget (other than a firearm) intended for trapping, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest. A black light trap is an example of such a  device.

What Are Antimicrobial Pesticides?

Antimicrobial pesticides are substances or mixtures of substances used to destroy or suppress the growth of harmful microorganisms whether bacteria, viruses, or fungi on inanimate objects and surfaces. Antimicrobial products contain about 275 different active ingredients and are marketed in several formulations: sprays, liquids, concentrated powders, and gases.

Antimicrobial pesticides have two major uses:

1.) disinfect, sanitize, reduce, or mitigate growth or development of microbiological organisms
2.) protect surfaces, water, or other chemical substances from contamination, fouling, or worsening caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, algae, or slime.

Types of Antimicrobial Products

Antimicrobial products are divided into two major categories based on the type of microbial pest against which the product targets. Non-public health products are used to control growth of algae, odor-causing bacteria, bacteria which cause spoilage, fouling of materials and microorganisms infectious only to animals. This general category includes products used in cooling towers, jet fuel, paints, and treatments for textile and paper products. Public health products are intended to control microorganisms infectious to humans in any inanimate environment. The more commonly used public health antimicrobial products include the following:

·          Sterilizers: Used to destroy or eliminate all forms of microbial life including fungi, viruses, and all forms of bacteria and their spores.

·          Disinfectants: Used on hard inanimate surfaces and objects to destroy or permanently inactivate infectious fungi and bacteria but not necessarily their spores.

·          Sanitizers: Used to reduce, but not necessarily eliminate, microorganisms from the inanimate environment to levels considered safe as determined by public health codes or regulations.

·          Antiseptics and Germicides: Used to prevent infection and decay by inhibiting the growth of microorganisms.