This work, based on an empirical analysis carried out by the Poison Centre of Milan, is an attempt to estimate the direct costs of acute intoxication due to pesticide use in Italy. From the analysis undertaken, it is possible to demonstrate that the number of incidents of acute intoxication registered every year in Italy is not negligible and that it causes a cost of nearly Lit 2,000,000,000. The investigation, supported also by empirical studies from other countries, suggests that, in order to reduce the incidence of this pathology, greater attention should be paid to prevention, regulation and education.