A Guide to Minimum Risk Pesticides

Whether in an agricultural or structural setting, assessing risk is a key step in choosing the right method for controlling pests. Careful adherence to pesticide labels is essential, but what about “all natural” ingredients and other alternatives to regulated pesticides? Where can one find reliable data on low-risk ingredients to help assess human health and environmental risks, while also learning about their efficacy for different target pests?

The New York State IPM Program is providing answers with a new online resource covering minimum risk pesticides. It lists 31 ingredients determined by the EPA to pose little to no risk to human health or the environment. Each ingredient links to a detailed profile containing available data on its physical and chemical properties, human health assessment, environmental assessment, product performance, and standards and regulations that apply to its use.

The ingredient profiles will help officials, practitioners, and the public better understand the risks and benefits of minimum risk pesticides.

To access the resource, visit the following link:

http://neipmc.org/go/nctc