Re: superweeds

[Toby Hemenway <hemenway@jeffnet.org>]

on 2/13/01 9:47 AM, Loren Davidson at lorenstwin@yahoo.com wrote:
> 
>  They should be using *herbicides*, not
> pesticides. :)  Pesticides are for the random destruction of *insects*,
> not plants. :)
> 
Thanks for bringing this up, Loren, because I've always wondered what the
definition really is, since many people use pesticide and insecticide
interchangeably. You've prompted me to look it up. The EPA says pesticides
include herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides. Their definition is (from
http://www.epa.gov/opp00001/whatis.htm):

"A pesticide is any substance or mixture of substances intended for
preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest. Pests can be
insects, mice and other animals, unwanted plants (weeds), fungi, or
microorganisms like bacteria and viruses. 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."

It all sounds rather awful.

Toby