Fake pesticides are not a problem in Canada yet but they are a concern in the European Union.
The EU estimates about 10 per cent of the pesticides used there could be counterfeit. The annual global market of illegal and counterfeit crop protection products is estimated to be worth almost $7 billion Cdn.
Three University of Waterloo students believes they have come up with a way to battle the fakes. They've developed an ink that can tag and authenticate merchandise with a smartphone. Originally designed for the pharmaceutical industry, they started focusing on agricultural applications after discovering that fake pesticides, which are untested and don't meet established safety and quality standards, are a growing problem in some parts of the world.
Perry Everett, Graham Thomas and Ben Rasera are in the process of forming their own company to focus on moving their work closer to commercialization.
