Surveys show support for current pesticide regulations

ARLINGTON, Va. – RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment) has released new public opinion research about specialty pesticide regulation.

The research shows strong support for the current federal and state pesticide regulatory framework. Key findings include:

• Eight in 10 consumers believe pesticides play an important role in protecting their home, health and community, and more than six in 10 have used pesticides in or around their home this year.
• A majority (78%) of consumers trust the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to effectively regulate pesticide products.
  

“Pesticides are essential to maintaining our health and safety at home, in public spaces and buildings and to protecting infrastructure and the environment, and it’s encouraging to learn that with everyone’s focus on public health during the past year, people understand the important role pesticides play in keeping them safe and healthy,” said Megan J. Provost, RISE president.

Consumers showed substantial trust in the U.S. EPA’s ability to regulate pesticide products, along with a high degree of trust in the role of state-level product regulation. Survey respondents also overwhelmingly agree (82%) that the rigorous scientific review and regulatory process ensures that pesticide products can safely and effectively protect public health, safety and property. 

“The strong federal and state framework for scientific review and regulation of pesticide products gets strong support from people when they have some basic information about the process. This learning reinforces why it is so important for everyone in our industry to be ready to have those conversations,” Provost added.