Table 4 Questions investigating attitude towards pesticides. Sorted most to least agreement

Protective measures are necessary for pesticide use.

Pesticides contaminate water bodies.

You are worried about the toxicity of the chemicals to the people who use them or the people who eat the food.

You are worried about damaging the environment with toxic chemicals.

Pesticides can enter the body through the skin.

Pesticides can cause harm to the environment.

Using pesticides increases farm profits.

Pesticides affect livestock negatively.

You keep your pesticides inside the shop and out of reach of children and animals.

Pesticides have negative effects on the health of children.

When handling pesticides you are worried about getting cancer.

Pesticide use leads to soil degradation.

You are concerned about pesticide residues when buying vegetables from the market.

You think that the supply of agro-chemicals should be better controlled by the government.

Commercial production without pesticides is impossible.

Biopesticides are not as effective as chemical pesticides.

Organic agriculture is a good alternative to conventional agriculture.

You can determine whether a pesticide is dangerous or not by its smell.

Good pesticides are those that kill all insects immediately.

You think pesticide retailers are sufficiently monitored and supported by the government.

You think farmers apply the pesticides safely.

Mixing different pesticides makes the spraying more effective than using a single pesticide.

If there are many pests in the field then one should make the spraying mixture stronger.

You think colour codes on pesticides are not important.

Some pesticides have a pleasant smell.

Herbicides are not dangerous to humans.

Washing pesticide equipment in ponds or rivers does not affect the water quality.

Pesticides have a positive effect on beneficial species like bees or fish.

Empty pesticide containers can be reused for other purposes.

Drinking alcohol after spraying helps to eliminate side effects.