Furthermore, there are other less known applications of these chemical substances, such as in pet shampoos ( 4), building materials, and boat bottoms in order to eliminate or prevent the presence of unwanted species ( 6). These products are also used for other purposes, such as the improvement and maintenance of non-agricultural areas like public urban green areas and sport fields ( 4, 5). Insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, rodenticides, and plant growth regulators are typical examples ( 1– 3). Pesticides are substances or mixtures of substances that are mainly used in agriculture or in public health protection programs in order to protect plants from pests, weeds or diseases, and humans from vector-borne diseases, such as malaria, dengue fever, and schistosomiasis. It is more obvious than ever that the society needs the implementation of a new agricultural concept regarding food production, which is safer for man and the environment, and to this end, steps such as the declaration of Nyéléni have been taken.
The urgent need for a more sustainable and ecological approach has produced many innovative ideas, among them agriculture reforms and food production implementing sustainable practice evolving to food sovereignty. However, due to their known ability to cause a large number of negative health and environmental effects, their side effects can be an important environmental health risk factor. Pesticides are agrochemicals used in agricultural lands, public health programs, and urban green areas in order to protect plants and humans from various diseases. The industrialization of the agricultural sector has increased the chemical burden on natural ecosystems. 2Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek (VITO), Mol, Belgium.1Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
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