Pesticide is a general term referring to all chemicals that kill weeds. Common pesticides include: herbicide (targets plants), insecticide (targets insects), rodenticide (targets rodents), fungicide (targets fungus), miticide (targets mites and ticks), bactericide or sanitizer or disinfectant (targets bacteria), molluscicide (targets slugs and snails) and nematicide (targets nematodes).
There is a lot of concern about the safety of pesticides in our environment. The biggest component with all pesticides is the end user. The applicant, typically a home owner, needs to use the product according to label directions. If the product is not applied correctly, issues may arise. The following article does a good job of addressing most of the concerns with regard to using pesticides and their safety.
