Environmental Effects of Pesticides EssayOver 98% of sprayed insecticides and 95% of herbicides reach a destination other than their target species, including nontarget species, air, water, bottom sediments, and food.[1] Pesticide contaminates land and water when it escapes from production sites and storage tanks, when it runs off from fields, when it is discarded, when it is sprayed aerially, and when it is sprayed into water to kill algae.[2] The amount of pesticide that migrates from the intended application area is influenced by the particular chemicals properties: its propensity for binding to soil, its vapor pressure, its water solubility, and its resistance to being broken down over time. [3] Factors in the soil, such as its texture, its ability to retain water, and the amount of organic matter contained in it, also affect the amount of pesticide that will leave the area.[3] Some pesticides contribute to global warming and the depletion of the ozone layer.[4] [edit] AirPesticides can contribute to air pollution .
