Every pesticide will eventually be classified as what?

The classification of every pesticide as either general use or restricted use is crucial for ensuring safety in application and compliance with regulatory standards. General use pesticides are those deemed safe for public use without special training, while restricted use pesticides require a licensed applicator to apply them due to their potential hazards to human health or the environment. This classification system helps protect non-target organisms, including humans, pets, and beneficial organisms, by ensuring that more hazardous pesticides are handled only by those who are trained to use them properly.

In contrast, the other classifications like herbicides, safety status, and intended use categories do not universally apply to all pesticides. Many pesticides may not fit neatly into these alternative categories, making the general versus restricted classification a more encompassing and practical system for regulation and safety management in pesticide use.