Agrichemical: Encyclopedia - Agrichemical

Agrichemical

Agrichemical (or agrochemical), a contraction of agricultural chemical, is a generic term for the various chemical products used in agriculture. In most cases, agrichemical refers to the broad range of pesticides (e.g. insecticides, herbicides, fungicides), but it may also include synthetic fertilizers, hormones and other chemical growth agents, and concentrated stores of raw animal manure.

Most agrichemicals are toxic, and all agrichemicals in bulk storage pose significant environmental and/or health risks, particularly in event of accidental spillage. In many countries, access to and use of agrichemicals is highly regulated. Government-issued permits for purchase and use of approved agrichemicals may be required, and significant penalties can result from misuse, including improper storage resulting in spillage. On farms, proper storage facilities and labelling, emergency clean-up equipment and procedures, and safety equipment and procedures for handling, application and disposal are specific areas of concern, often subject to mandatory standards and regulations.

Categories: Agriculture | Environmental chemistry

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Agrichemical", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki