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| Before you pick up the Bug Spray, Read This - Page 2 |
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Page 2 of 2 How can the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) allow pesticides to be used if they are dangerous? The quick answer is money. The mission of the EPA is to analyze the cost-benefit of different pesticides and register them according to those criteria. They may register extremely dangerous pesticides if they believe the potential economic benefits of the pesticides outweigh the potential human or environmental hazards. If the EPA registers a pesticide, it is legal to use, but it may not be safe. In fact, it is illegal for a manufacturer or a pesticide applicator to imply that a pesticide is safe, harmless or non-toxic to humans and pets, even if used according to label directions. If a pest control company representative tells you the pesticides they use are “safe”, they are violating the law. Unfortunately, many of the decisions the EPA makes regarding pesticides are politically motivated or are a result of intense lobbying from the pesticide industry. A good example of this is the recent re-registering of methyl bromide. The EPA, under pressure from the Bush Administration, overruled the Montreal Protocol of 1987 that called for a worldwide ban on methyl bromide because it is a major destroyer of the ozone. Consequently, methyl bromide is still being used in the United States, particularly in California on the strawberry crops. I think a case can be made to eliminate ALL pesticides from indoor use because they contain many of the same chemicals as second hand smoke and because there is an undeniable link to Parkinson’s disease. I think every legislator in every state should take into consideration that liquid and aerosol pesticides are every bit as dangerous as cigarette smoke and should be banned in all public buildings. There are no insects or other arthropods that are so insidious that they need to be controlled indoors with liquid or aerosol pesticides. All of our perceived pests can be controlled with baits, traps, exclusion and good common sense. Spraying pesticides in a home or business is not pest control; it is pesticide pollution, nothing more, nothing less. How do you control common pests without spraying a public building or your home? Niban Bait, made from boric acid, is an excellent product for controlling cockroaches. Most ants can be controlled with a homemade bait made from peanut butter (two tablespoons), jelly (two tablespoons) and boric acid (one teaspoon). You can place these baits where the roaches or ants are foraging, making sure to keep out of the reach of kids and pets. All insects and spiders can easily be killed with a mixture of water (40%), alcohol (40%) and dish soap (20%). There is no reason to expose people to pesticides in public buildings. Any homeowner or business owner can control pests on their property without exposing themselves or their customers to hazardous pesticides. Boric acid, diatomaceous earth, alcohol / water / soap and good common sense are all that is necessary to control most indoor pests. There is another reason you may want to refrain from using pesticides. The Environmental Protection Agency requires that all pesticides be tested on dogs as well as other animals.
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