Pesticides have been, are now, and probably will continue to be a control option in integrated pest management programs along with cultural, biological, and other options. All pesticides must be biologically active, or toxic, to be effective against the pests they are intended to control. Because pesticides are toxic, they are also potentially hazardous to humans and animals. It is important for those who use pesticides or regularly come in contact with them to know the relative toxicity and the potential health effects of the products they use. Hazard, or risk, on the other hand, is the potential for injury, or the degree of danger involved in using a pesticide under a given set of conditions.
Hazard depends on the toxicity of the pesticide and the amount of exposure.
While having little or no control over the toxicity of a specific formulated product, an applicator can minimize or eliminate exposure, thus reducing risk, by carefully handling the pesticide and by using personal protective clothing and equipment. Any pesticide can be poisonous or toxic if absorbed in excessive amounts, resulting in injuries to humans and animals. Acute toxicity and acute effects Acute toxicity of a pesticide refers to the chemical's ability to cause injury to a person or animal from a single exposure, generally of short duration. Dermal toxicity is determined by exposing the skin to the chemical 2. Inhalation toxicity is determined by having test animals breathe vapors of the chemical 3.