Acute Toxicity (A)

These pesticides are acutely toxic to animals and humans according to U.S. EPA.  These include ingredients in amounts that can make people and animals sick immediately or shortly after exposure.  Symptoms of exposure to acutely toxic pesticides include headache, nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath and death.

The most highly acutely toxic pesticides are marked with a DANGER signal word on the pesticide label.  The next most toxic group is labeled with a WARNING signal word.  The least-toxic group is marked with a CAUTION label.  

A CAUTION label does not mean a pesticide is not toxic.  It only means that a larger dose is likely to be required to cause acute toxicity.

DANGER and WARNING label products do not meet our criteria for least-toxic.

More about acute toxicity from the Pesticide Action Network