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You are here: NPIC Home Page Pesticide Ingredients Pesticide Types Minimum Risk Pesticides

Minimum Risk Pesticides

Generally, a pesticide is any substance or mixture that is used to control or repel a pest. All pesticides must be registered by the EPA before they are sold in the United States, except "minimum risk pesticides."

Minimum risk pesticides:

• ...may only contain the active ingredients on this list.
• ...may only contain other ingredients on this list.
• ...must identify all ingredients on the product label.
• ...cannot make misleading label claims.
• ...cannot claim to control pests that impact anyone's health.

Some 'minimum-risk' active ingredients: cedar oil, citronella, corn gluten meal, dried blood, garlic oil, lemongrass oil, mint oil, egg solids, salt, soybean oil, thyme, zinc metal strips

Many states require minimum-risk pesticides to be registered. Before distributing minimum-risk pesticides in a state, check the requirements by contacting the pesticide regulatory agency.

• No matter how natural, all pesticides should be used with care.
• Always follow the label instructions, and take steps to minimize exposure to people, animals, and the environment.
• Plant oils can be harmful to the eyes, and people may be allergic to them.
• Your risk depends on the toxicity of the substance, and the amount of exposure.

If you have questions about this, or any pesticide-related topic, please call NPIC at 1-800-858-7378 (8:00am - 12:00pm PST), or email us at npic@ace.orst.edu.

Additional Resources:

• Minimum Risk Pesticides - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Conditions for Minimum Risk Pesticides - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Minimum Risk Frequently Asked Questions - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Inert Ingredients Approved for Use in Minimum Risk Pesticide Products - Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Active Ingredients Eligible for Minimum Risk Pesticide Use - New York State Integrated Pest Management

Related Topics:

What are pests?

What are pesticides?

Please read our disclaimer | Contact us | About NPIC | En español

NPIC provides objective, science-based information about pesticides and pesticide-related topics to enable people to make informed decisions. NPIC is a cooperative agreement between Oregon State University and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (cooperative agreement #X8-83947901). The information in this publication does not in any way replace or supersede the restrictions, precautions, directions, or other information on the pesticide label or any other regulatory requirements, nor does it necessarily reflect the position of the U.S. EPA.