believing it to mean ‘‘harmless.’’ Since neither federal law nor the regulations define
the term ‘‘inert’’ on the basis of toxicity, hazard, or risk to humans, non-target
species, or the environment, it should not be assumed that all inert ingredients are
non-toxic.^39
Status of Inert Ingredients
Inert ingredients have definitely not been given a clean bill of health. For example,
it is not clear which components of weed killers are carcinogens. The question
revolves around whether it is the active ingredients, the dioxins, that contaminate the
active ingredients during manufacture, or the inert ingredients, which frequently con-
stitute 90 to 99 percent of pesticides. Inert ingredients are added as fillers or to give
the pesticide a desirable quality. The EPA lists 2,000 chemicals that have been
approved for use as inert ingredients. These include urea formaldehyde, carbon tetra-
chloride (known to cause cancer), chloroform (also a known carcinogen), toluene, xy-
lene, cadmium, and lead compounds. Pesticide manufacturers have successfully
claimed that the components of inert ingredients are trade secrets not required to be
disclosed to potential competitors. Furthermore, federal law imposes a $10,000 pen-
alty on any employee who reveals the contents of inert ingredients in pesticides.^40
Agricultural Pesticides
Much of modern farming relies on pesticides to produce food of a high quality
and ensure consistent supplies. In some cases pesticides can make the difference
between success and failure of a crop. Pesticides are a vital part of modern agriculture,
protecting food and fiber from damage by insects, weeds, diseases, and rodents. U.S.
agriculture companies spend about eight billion dollars annually on pesticides, which
accounts for more than 70 percent of all pesticides sold in the country.^41 It is esti-
mated that each dollar invested in pesticide control returns approximately four dollars
in crops saved from pests. Farmers’ expenditures on pesticides are about 4 to 5 per-
cent of total farm production costs.^42
The dependence of agriculture on chemical pesticides developed over the last sixty
years as the agricultural sector shifted from labor-intensive production methods to
more capital- and chemical-intensive production methods. Sixty years ago, most crops
were produced largely without the use of chemicals. Insects and weeds were con-
trolled by crop rotations, destruction of crop refuse, timing of planting dates to avoid
high pest population periods, mechanical weed control, and other farming practices.
While these practices are still in use, changes in technology, costs, and government
policies have led to the development of today’s chemically intensive farming methods.
Usage of conventional pesticides on farms in the United States increased from
about 400 million pounds (of active ingredients) in the 1960s to more than 800 mil-
lion pounds in the late 1970s and early 1980s, primarily due to the widespread adop-
tion of herbicides in corn production. Since that time, usage has been somewhat
lower, ranging from about 700 to 800 million pounds annually.^43 Pesticide usage in
The Pesticide Problem | 9