Household Insecticides
HOUSEHOLD BUG SPRAYS
Recent statistics show that 75% of U.S. households use some form of insecticide, with much of this being used indoors. We use sprays to kill ants and roaches, shampoos to kill lice on our children, flea and tick collars and shampoos on our pets, and moth balls for our woolies. By design these products are are intended to be lethal - to insects that is! People can be affected to some degree as all.
The home insecticide arsenal has recently been converted from organophosphates (OPs) to pyrenoids because the OPs were too toxic for safe around the home. That’s good news but there are still some risks with the pyrethroids.
POSSIBLE HEALTH RISKS:
1) Allergey and Skin Rash
2) Breathing Difficulty
3) Worsening of Asthma
4) Numbness and tingling on the skin
5) Acute poisoning - such as it a child sprays himself or ingests the product
Behavior changes include tremors and convulsions
PRECAUTIONS
1) Use these products as little as possible - Follow label directions and keep away from children.
3) Avoid spraying children’s bedrooms, toys and clothing.
4) Ventilate the room or house thoroughly after spraying.
5) Clean the counters and floors after spraying as the pesticide can linger for days.
ALTERNATIVES
1) Keep ants out by sealing cracks in the foundation, floors and walls where they enter.
2) Maintain a high level of cleanliness in the kitchen and elsewhere. Do not leave exposed food out.
3) Eliminate clutter and sources of water - both attractions for roaches.
4) Use bait stations intead of sprays. The pesticide stays in one place rather than spread around the house.
However, you must locate these away from children and pets.
5) Put Boric acid powder (available in pharmacies) in cracks where ants get in. It is toxic to ants but not to people. However, do not use his in areas where children and pets frequent.
6) Use dessicants like diatomaceous earth (available at garden and hardward stores) to kill roach.
7) Go to these websites with directions on how to minimize pesticidal use around the home.
HEAD LICE on CHILDREN / FLEAS on PETS
It’s not a popular topic but most of us with children have had to address the issue of lice infestation at some point in their/our lives. This is typically a problem with young children who unknowingly contract these pests from sharing hats, brushes, etc. It in no way means your child is dirty. That being said, the treatment of this ‘pesky’ condition needs to be addressed. Pesticidal shampoos containing pyrethroid insecticides are commonly available for getting rid of lice. Brief exposure is possible to the person doing the washing and to the child or pet receiving the treatment.
However, if one follows label instructions there is usually not a sginificant exposure of chance for toxicity. Prescription lice treatments can contain stronger pesticides that should be avoided unless absolutely necessary.
In regards to your pets and deterring flea infestation, an alternative to pet shampoos were flea collars. Collars have been phased out however in recent years, replaced by a liquid pesticide that is rubbed into the pet’s fur or on their skin. A variety of different pesticides are used in these products, but they generally act like the pyrethroids and attack the insect’s nervous system. You can become exposed to the pesticide when applying it to the pet or when petting the animal later. While this is a low level exposure, you may be better off giving your pet an oral anti-flea product. This is an internal dose provided by your vet and will minimize the amount of chemical in the animal’s fur. This is especially recommended if you have young children who may get exposed when playing with the pet.
Of course, prevention is a key to decreasing the use of these products. Click here for information about preventing LICE and FLEA outbreaks.
MOTH BALLS
One of the oldest around-the-home pesticide treatments is moth balls. The chemical found in moth balls (and moth flakes as well) is either naphthalene or p-dichlorobenzene. These chemicals were initially considered moth repellents becuase of their strong “aromatic” odor. However, they actually kill moths and their eggs in clothing if used correctly. If used incorrectly, they can lead to substancial chemical exposure.
POSSIBLE HEALTH RISKS
1) Irritation to nose, eyes and lungs
2) Worsening of asthma
3) Headache and dizziness
4) Caner - these chemicals are possible carcinogens
5) Special effects in babies - if chemical is not properly aired out of baby’s clothing skin rash, jaundice and/or anemia may occur.
PRECAUTIONS
1) The moth ball container from the store should be tightly sealed and stored in parts of the home that are not lived in (e.g. shed, garage). the chemicals are volatile and will get out of the box and spread into your home’s air.
2) To treat winter clothing safely with moth balls, clean the garments, then bag them with a few moth balls and seal tightly. When summer is over, open the bag outdoors and let air out for several days. Do not reuse the bag for any other storage purposes.
3) Do not treat closets by tossing a few moth balls onto the floor. This will contaminate the closet and attached rooms with these volatile chemicals.
ALTERNATIVES
1) Minimize the need for moth balls by cleaning wool clothing before storing them away for the summer.
2) Cedar is a natural moth repelllent. Clothing can be stored in cedar closets. The closet is actually made of cedar.
3) Click here for more information on moth prevention.
