Exploring the substantial diversity of pesticide products

To understand the impacts of pesticides on non-targets, it is important to understand what pesticide products are authorised for use. Different pesticide formulations with the same active ingredient can pose different risks to non-target organisms due to the inclusion of co-formulants which can modify their toxicity. We collated datasets from the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland containing information on all the authorised pesticide products (pesticide formulations and adjuvants). We reveal that there are 2,463 pesticide formulations authorised for use by professionals in the UK, representing 266 active ingredients. We also collated information on amateur pesticide formulations, finding 520 authorised in the UK, and adjuvants (separate products added to a tank mix to alter the spray action), finding 298 authorised in the UK. Although we focus on the UK dataset, the same overall trends are mirrored in the Irish data. For the first time we have brought together data on the diversity of pesticides on sale in the UK and Ireland.