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End-users’ knowledge, attitude, and behavior towards safe use of pesticides: a case study in the Guanting Reservoir area, China

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Abstract

Pesticides are widely used in China for crop protection. However, the use of some highly toxic and accumulative pesticides has led to serious pollution to the environment. The knowledge that end-users of pesticides have about hazards is important for the prevention of acute poisoning. Moreover, farmers, especially those who purchase and use pesticides, often make important and long-standing impacts on the local ecosystem and environment. In this study, a specially designed questionnaire was used to collect information on their knowledge, attitude, and behavior related to pesticides in the Guanting Reservoir area, north of China. Most pesticide end-users reported that they took incomplete preventive measures for lack of extensive pesticide knowledge and information. Pesticide information, instruction, and training among farmers should be promoted, and governmental intervention is needed to ensure proper management regarding public health risks and environmental hazards.

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Acknowledgements

We thank local school teachers for their tireless assistance and immeasurable help in the field survey. Funding for this research came from the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, with grant no. KZCX2-414, and the National Basic Research Program 973, with grant no. 2007CB407307.

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Correspondence to Yonglong Lu.

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Zhang, H., Lu, Y. End-users’ knowledge, attitude, and behavior towards safe use of pesticides: a case study in the Guanting Reservoir area, China. Environ Geochem Health 29, 513–520 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-007-9120-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-007-9120-2

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