Wood  vinegar  has  been  widely  used  as  pesticide based  on old traditions and knowledge of users and local producers. Pyroligneous  acid,  also  called  wood  vinegar  or  moku-saku,  is  an  aqueous  liquid  produced  from  slow  pyrolysis  of  hardwood. Wood vinegar has been widely used to repel insects from plants and households in Thailand and it is easy to find pyro ligneous products  marketed  on  the  Internet  as  an  insect  repellent. Archeological studies have found that pyrolysis liquids were already used in the time of the Neanderthal. Wood vinegar and other slow pyrolysis liquids are produced as a by-product of charcoal production. However, future business ideas  may  be  the  other  way  round  as  pyrolysis  liquids including wood vinegar  may  replace  synthetic  chemicals  in  the  form  of  pesticides  and  biocides.

Directives and regulations related to the sustainable use of pesticides govern and direct plant protection strategies towards a lower use of synthetic chemicals. It is hoped that many mega trends of global policies will boost the use of plant based products given that a reduced reliance on fossil fuel is a general target in the global food and feed production economy.

Wood Vinegar and Pyrolysis technology has been actively studied and developed around the world and is linked to the development of the knowledge based  bio-economy.  The  importance  and  social  impact  of  pyrolysis  technologies  will  also  be  enhanced  because  it  is  a  practicable  technique  in  the  sustainable  use  of  wastes  and  biomasses.