Which term would best describe the potential for harm from pesticide use, considering both toxicity and exposure probability?

• A. Toxicity
• B. Exposure
• C. Hazard
• D. Risk

Answer: (C)

Hazard is the potential for harm a pesticide could cause based on its inherent toxicity and how likely people or non-target organisms are to be exposed. It captures the idea that danger exists because the chemical can be poisonous and there is a chance of contact. Toxicity tells you how poisonous the chemical is, but not whether exposure will occur. Exposure describes how much contact might happen, not how poisonous it is. Risk refers to the actual chance of harm occurring in a specific situation, which depends on both hazard and exposure, but the term that best describes the overall potential when both factors are considered in general use is hazard.