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A farmer was spraying pesticides on some Chinese 'Choi Sum' vegetables 
in Xinlou village, north east of Guangzhou, Guangdong province, China. 
Greenpeace believe the high levels of toxins found in water in the 
area is due to the over usage of pesticides and is potentially harmful 
to humans. Many bottles of Chinese-manufactured 'Butachlor' and other 
types of pesticide were found disgarded in streams in the area.

A farmer was spraying pesticides on some Chinese 'Choi Sum' vegetables in Xinlou village, north east of Guangzhou.

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Pesticides are chemicals designed to kill or control undesirable organisms. Unlike other toxic chemicals, pesticides are deliberately dispersed over large areas of the rural and urban environment. They are used within agriculture and forestry to kill pests and weeds, on roads and railways to prevent weed growth and by industry to protect manufactured products.

Pesticides can be classified according to the types of pest organism they are designed to attack; insecticides work against insects, herbicides against weeds, fungicides against fungi, and rodenticides against rodents. Pesticides come in different physical forms such as liquids, powders, or granules.