HSC 4573 Test 3

Summer 2026. Roberts

Define pesticides

Substances used to kill pests and weeds

Herbicides kill what? Molluscides? Nemacides?

Herbicides: Kills weeds

Molluscides: Kills snails and slugs

Nemacides: Kills worms

GMO plants have no need for what? What do they need?

No need for insecticides. Need herbicides

What are the 5 advantages of pesticides

Improves output

Economic boost (Florida Citrus)

Disease control

Nuisance control

Increase in quality of life

What are the estimated losses for foods without presticides for fruit, vegetables, and cereal

78% losses of fruits

54% losses of vegetables

32% losses of cereal

Florida citrus contributes how much money to states economy

$7 billion annually

What are the 3 disadvantages of pesticides

Damage to Environment

Accidental Poisonings / Misuse

Intentional Misuse

What was the Bhopal incident?

Incident in Bhopal, India. 40 tons of pesticide gases leaked from a pesticide manufacturing plant and kills 8000 people and caused 500 thousand illnesses

How are suicides related to pesticides

15-20% of all suicides involve pesticides. Pesticide suicides account for 140 thousand deaths per year

What is the Organization for Exonomic Cooperation and Development (OECD)

U.S. and 37 other countries in an organization that sharles data on pesticides

What did the 1938 Federal Food Drug Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) address

Human exposure to pesticides

How EPA limits presticides

What did the 1947 Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) address

Approved uses of pesticides

Rates of pesticide usage

Environmental impacts

What did the 1996 Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) address

Increase protection for human health

Cumulative exposure assesments

Risk assesments

What does the Rotterdam Convention say

It is made to promote awareness for pesticides

Ex: If U.S. ships DDT to another country, U.S. has to make sure the other country is aware of all the side effects and risks associated with the pesticide they are recieving.

How do the roles of the EPA and FDA differ in regards to pesticides

EPA: Sets limits on how much pesticide can be used. Limits the amount of residue that can be present on produce. Main pesticide regulator

FDA: Enforces the rules set by the EPA

Describe misinformation about organic foods and fruits in regards to pesticides

Organic foods are still able to be treated with pesticides as long as they were not grown synthetically. Fruits usually have some amount of pesticide residue on them but the dose is almost never concerning. DOSE MATTERS!!

How can removal of pesticides affect certain people

Farmers can go bankrupt

Who should the focus of pesticide concerns be aimed towards

Concerns should be for farmers who are exposed the most to pesticides. Consumers are rarely affected