Pesticides in the Modern World: Global Trends, Risks and Control Methods

Abstract

This review article is devoted to a comprehensive analysis of the problem of pesticides in the context of global food security and public health. It presents current data on the scale of pesticide use in world agriculture, their classification, and the mechanisms of their impact on the environment and human health. Special attention is paid to the analysis of global pesticide-use databases (PEST-CHEMGRIDS, 2015–2025), the results of monitoring programmes (USDA PDP 2024, EFSA), and current international approaches to risk assessment (JMPR 2025, Codex Alimentarius). The most common classes of pesticides (organochlorine and organophosphorus compounds, carbamates, pyrethroids), their persistence in the environment and their bioaccumulation in food chains are considered. On the basis of a systematic review and meta-analysis (29 studies, 2004–2022), quantitative estimates are presented of the share of active ingredients that pose an unacceptable health risk. It is shown that in developing countries this indicator (0.9%) is higher than in developed countries (0.2%). Separate attention is paid to the problem of persistent organic pollutants (DDT, dioxins, PCBs), which, despite many years of bans, continue to be found in foodstuffs and the environment. The concluding part of the article discusses modern approaches to harmonising legislation on maximum residue levels (MRLs), strengthening monitoring and introducing the concept of integrated pest management (IPM).