Pesticides are commercial products containing toxic chemicals which are deliberately sprayed onto crops in order to deter unwanted pests, such as insects, rodents, fungi and weeds. They encompass a wide variety of chemical products, including herbicides, insecticides and fungicides, among many others.
But while the ability of pesticides to boost crop yields has made them instrumental in producing enough food to satisfy the global population, a surprising percentage (98% of insecticides and 95% of herbicides) do not actually reach their intended their target. Instead, they infiltrate the wider environment, representing just one of many sources and types of agricultural pollution, each of which can have devastating impacts on the world.
Eden Research plc (LON:EDEN) is an AIM-quoted company focussed on sustainable biopesticides and plastic-free encapsulation technology for the use in global crop protection, animal health and consumer products industries.