What are pesticides?

A pesticide is any substance or mixture of substances used to destroy, suppress or alter the life cycle of any pest. A pesticide can be a naturally derived or synthetically produced substance. A pesticide can also be an organism, for example, the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis which is used to control a number of insect pests, or even a genetically modified crop (see Bollgard II cotton). The legal definition of a pesticide in NSW covers a wide range of substances.

Pesticides include bactericides, baits, fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, lures, rodenticides and repellents. They are used in commercial, domestic, urban and rural environments.
There are currently thousands of pesticide products registered for use in NSW by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA).