Plus, you don't have to worry about the toxicity of chemicals today, as most exterminators find alternatives that are friendly to pets and humans, and yet make sure to spray the right amount only if it's non-toxic. An Official U.S. Government Website Using Official Websites. Gov A.
the government website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Pesticides are chemicals used to kill or control pests, including bacteria, fungi and other organisms, as well as insects and rodents. According to a recent survey, 75 percent of the U.S. UU.
Households used at least one pesticide product indoors during the past year. The most commonly used products are insecticides and disinfectants. Another study suggests that 80 percent of most people's exposure to pesticides occurs indoors and that measurable levels of up to a dozen pesticides have been found in the air inside homes. Sold as sprays, liquids, sticks, powders, crystals, balls and nebulizers.
In 1990, the American Association of Poison Control Centers reported that about 79,000 children were involved in common household poisoning or pesticide exposures. In households with children under five years of age, almost half stored at least one pesticide product within reach of children. In addition to the active ingredient, pesticides also consist of ingredients that are used to transport the active agent. These carrier agents are called inert in pesticides because they are not toxic to the target pest; however, some inerts are capable of causing health problems.
National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) Pesticides are classified as semi-volatile organic compounds and include a variety of chemicals in various forms. In addition, the EPA is concerned that cyclodienes can cause long-term damage to the liver and central nervous system, as well as an increased risk of cancer. Early Research Shows Widespread Presence of Pesticide Residues in Households. Read the label and follow the instructions.
It is illegal to use any pesticide in any way that does not comply with the instructions on its label. Unless you have undergone special training and are certified, never use a pesticide that is restricted to state-certified pest control operators. These pesticides are simply too dangerous for an uncertified person to apply. Use only pesticides approved for use by the general public and then only in recommended amounts; increasing the amount offers no further protection from pests and can be harmful to you and your plants and pets.
Ventilate the area well after using pesticides. Use non-chemical methods of pest control when possible. Termite damage can be reduced or prevented by ensuring that wood construction materials do not come into direct contact with the ground and by storing firewood away from the home. By properly fertilizing, watering and aerating lawns, the need for chemical pesticide treatments for lawns can be drastically reduced.
If you decide to use a pest control company, choose one carefully. If you have unused or partially used pesticide containers that you want to dispose of, dispose of them according to label instructions or on special household hazardous waste collection days. If there are no such collection days in your community, work with others to organize them. Keep exposure to moth repellents to a minimum.
A pesticide often found in the home is paradichlorobenzene, an active ingredient commonly used in moth repellents. This chemical is known to cause cancer in animals, but there is substantial scientific uncertainty about the effects, if any, of long-term human exposure to paradichlorobenzene. EPA requires that products containing paradichlorobenzene carry warnings, such as avoiding breathing vapors, to warn users of possible short-term toxic effects. Whenever possible, paradichlorobenzene and items that need to be protected against moths should be placed in trunks or other containers that can be stored in areas that are ventilated separately from the home, such as attics and separate garages.
Paradichlorobenzene is also the key active ingredient in many air fresheners (in fact, some moth repellent labels recommend that these same products be used as air fresheners or deodorants). Proper ventilation and basic household cleaning will go a long way in preventing unpleasant odors. If chemicals must be used, use only recommended amounts, mix or dilute pesticides outdoors or in an isolated, well-ventilated area, apply to unoccupied areas, and dispose of unwanted pesticides safely to minimize exposure. EPA Citizen's Guide to Pest Control and Pesticide Safety (PDF) (53 pgs., 4.17 MB, About PDF) Pest Management in Schools.
Designed to encourage school officials to adopt IPM practices to reduce children's exposure to pesticides; includes information on starting a program, success stories, and funding. Brent and his dog Butch had been living in an apartment for six months when Brent discovered a letter in his mailbox that said the apartment manager was planning his annual pest eradication program. Brent was a little confused about what to do. The letter from the apartment manager said that three different pesticide products would be sprayed into his apartment by a professional applicator on a given day.
Brent was concerned about the possible effects of pesticides on him and his dog. I didn't know whether or not to stay during the application. Brent saw a phone number at the end of the letter from the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC). That means you can inherit any pests that are worrying another occupant, and all of those pests can also be transferred directly to your home.
The good news about spraying your interior is that you should only do it once, assuming you have started an outdoor pest control program. Once you eliminate any current infestation inside your home, regular spraying outside should control all future pests and keep them out of your home. You can minimize the risk of inhalation and exposure by taking a few simple steps. The first is to talk to your pest control company and find out what you are using.
After applying a product inside your home, try to stay out of it for several hours. This allows materials to settle and dry. If you are in contact with chemicals, for example, if you apply them yourself, make sure to wear gloves and long sleeves. You may also want to wear a mask to prevent inhalation.
If you are one of the 23 million people with asthma in our country, you should take the necessary precautions to ensure that your lungs stay healthy after spraying pesticides in your home. These chemicals can seriously irritate the lungs and cause the airways to contract. It is important to wait at least 3 hours before entering your home to allow the pesticide to dry and limit your exposure. You should make a healthy friend or family member the first to enter the house and open all windows and doors to ventilate the house.
Give your home an hour or two to ventilate and reduce the risk of negative chemical side effects. If you have a serious respiratory illness, you should talk to your exterminator about additional precautions to ensure your safety. Insect sprays, herbicides, and basically any type of eradicating chemical scare people. Consider the case of glyphosate, a 40-year-old herbicide that many consider extremely safe.
However, in recent years, concern about its effects on people and the environment has increased, leading to legal cases and an increase in requests for its regulation. If you really want the peace of mind of knowing that there will be no insect invasion in your home this year, you have to implement a good outdoor pest control program. Pesticides are classified as semi-volatile organic compounds and include a variety of chemicals in a variety of forms. Advanced pest control treatments are safe for your loved ones, but extremely effective when it comes to eliminating rodents, bugs and insects forever.
There is a direct connection between outdoor pest control and the need for indoor spraying to control pests. Although the pest control technician uses environmentally friendly pest control products, it is still important to protect the skin from direct contact. The inspection process may take some time because they will have to look for cracks and voids that could allow pests to enter. Both active and inert ingredients in pesticides can be organic compounds; therefore, both could increase levels of organic substances in the air inside homes.
The most important lesson to staying safe is knowing what is being sprayed in your home and how to limit your exposure. The only exception is the use of heptachlor by utility companies to control red ants in underground cables. Give them time to gather all the important information and create the right treatment for pest control. As demonstrated by the previous case study, you should avoid extensively spraying chemicals in areas where children may come in contact with them.
Let's return to the twin ideas of acute exposure and chronic exposure in terms of keeping children safe when dealing with pests. Mix or dilute pesticides outdoors or in a well-ventilated area and only in quantities that will be needed immediately. . .
