Is there a way to rate insecticides that is less detrimental to human and environmental health?

• Main Authors: Cristian Bolzonella, Marco Lucchetta, Gianni Teo, Vasco Boatto, Augusto Zanella
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2019-10-01
• Series: Global Ecology and Conservation
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989419301933

Plant protection is essential for providing high-quality food in adequate quantities. However, the use of insecticides often induces adverse effects on environment and human health. The Agency for the Environmental Protection of Tuscany (Italy) arranges pesticide ingredients in five classes basing on their impact on human health. We classified the pesticide treatments carried out by 48 winegrowers of the Veneto Region (Italy) in relation to the active ingredients contained into the used pesticides over a three-year period (2015–2017). It was found that the cost of insecticides and their class of impact were related, and that the cost's pressure led farmers to favor insecticides with active ingredients having a high negative impact on human health. The same active ingredients are used worldwide. We propose to implement taxation measures and subsidies to deter the use of the most harmful insecticides. Keywords: Insecticides, Biodiversity decline, Sustainable viticulture, Human health, Vine cultivation