5 Things You Should Know About How Pesticides Move in the Environment

When pesticides are applied, whether in agriculture, landscaping, or home gardening, they don’t just stay where they’re placed. Their movement through the environment can affect water quality, soil health, plant growth, and overall ecosystem balance. The infographic below breaks down the major factors that influence how pesticides travel, break down, or linger in the world around us.

Here are five key things to know about how pesticides move once they enter the environment.

Not all plants interact with pesticides the same way. Some plants naturally take up more pesticides through their roots or leaves, while others absorb very little. Plant type, structure, and growth patterns all play a role.

In addition, soil binding influences how easily pesticides move into plant tissues. If a pesticide binds tightly to soil particles, less of it may be available for plants to absorb. Pesticides that stay loose in the soil may travel more easily into roots.

Soil isn’t just dirt. It’s a whole ecosystem that determines how pesticides travel or break down. Different soils such as clay, sand, or loam hold onto pesticides in completely different ways. For example:

Clay soils can bind pesticides tightly and prevent them from moving far.
Sandy soils allow pesticides to move more freely and potentially reach groundwater faster.

Soil chemistry, the presence of microbes, and organic matter levels all influence how quickly pesticides break down. A healthy, microbially active soil tends to break pesticides down faster.

Environmental factors such as temperature, sunlight, rainfall, and wind all play major roles in how pesticides behave.

Sunlight and heat can increase pesticide breakdown.
Rain and wind can cause pesticides to move off-site through drift or runoff.
Droplet size also matters. Small droplets travel farther through the air, while larger droplets fall faster and are more likely to stay on target.

This is why timing and technique are crucial when applying pesticides.

If pesticides reach water through runoff, irrigation, or rainfall, they can continue to move long after application. Once in water, their journey varies.

Some pesticides attach to sediment and remain more contained.
Others stay dissolved and travel farther downstream.
Water table height also plays a role, and shallow water tables increase the risk of contamination.

Understanding how water flows across a landscape helps predict where pesticides may end up.

Every landscape has unique features that affect how chemicals travel. Slopes, hillsides, drainage areas, and soil layers all determine how pesticides flow.

On sloped land, pesticides are more likely to move downhill through runoff. In flatter areas, they may linger longer or be absorbed more slowly into the soil. Land management practices such as planting buffer strips or maintaining healthy groundcover can dramatically reduce unwanted pesticide movement.

Understanding how pesticides move through air, soil, and water empowers us to use them more responsibly and reduce their impact on the environment. By choosing the right products, applying them at the proper time, and staying informed about best practices, homeowners and professionals can protect soil health, safeguard water resources, and support healthier, more sustainable outdoor spaces.