Often when people consume agricultural products, they do not think to consider the process necessary to prevent the products from spoiling or being consumed by pests. “A pesticide is a chemical used to prevent, destroy or repel pests. Pests can be insects, mice and other animals, weeds, fungi, or microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses” (United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2012). “A pest can attack any plant or animal that endangers our food supply, our health or our comfort” (Delaplane, 1996). Pesticide is a general term that includes things like insecticide, herbicide, and fungicide. Most pesticides used contain chemicals that can be harmful to people, animals and the environment. The Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Pesticide Programs regulates pesticides in the United States to protect public health and the environment. All pesticides used must be registered with the EPA, and the agency requires a battery of scientific tests not only for each pesticide, but for each use of each pesticide. Some pesticides that people are familiar with may be products such as cockroach sprays and rat poisons. However, some common products we use are also considered pesticides, such as disinfectant cleaners, mold cleaners, and plant sprays. “The ancient Romans killed pests by burning sulfur and controlled weeds with salt. In the 1600s, ants were fought with mixtures of honey and arsenic. In the late 19th century, American farmers used copper acetoarsenite (Paris green), calcium arsenate, nicotine sulfate, and sulfur to control insect pests in field crops” (Delaplane, 1996 ). DDT was developed in the 1940s as the first modern synthetic insecticide. DDT was initially used to treat malaria, typhus,...... middle of paper...... intensive exposure to a variety of pesticides, either through the application of these chemicals or through harvest of agricultural products sprayed with pesticides. According to Toxics Action Center 2012, "studies by the National Cancer Institute found that American farmers, who in many ways are healthier than the population as a whole, had surprising incidences of leukemia, Hodgkin's, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and many other forms of cancer. In summary, pesticides are often seen as a quick, easy and inexpensive solution to controlling weeds and insects. However, the use of pesticides has its drawbacks. Pesticides have been shown to contaminate the environment and have effects on human health and wildlife. Pesticide residues are found in soil, air and groundwater. The best way to reduce pesticide contamination in our environment is to use safer, non-chemical pest control..