The Chemicals in your Pesticides
The process for getting a pesticide to a point where it can be used is lengthy. Before a chemical ingredient can gain approval for use in the U.S., it must undergo as many as 15 years of research. That research will translate into a product label that will give explicit instructions about how the product is to be used, where it can be applied, what pests it is to be used to control, and how it is to be prepared for application. These instructions are very precise so any deviation from them can create a hazardous situation for humans, pets, or and environment. It is also illegal to deviate from those instructions.
Safety Matters
While some people may have allergies or sensitivities to certain chemicals, as a whole, the chemicals that are approved for use in the United States for pest control are safe when used as directed. What’s more, when a pest professional comes to your home and prepares the chemical for application, you have the right to request to see the label. After all, this is what will be applied in your home, around your family and pest. Safety matters so you want to ensure that the person who is applying the product in and around your home is someone you can trust.
Are “Green” Products Safer?
Some people turn to what are called “green” products in an effort to avoid what they perceive to be the toxicity of chemical pesticides. In truth, any substance on earth has the capacity to become toxic. Centuries ago Paracelsus said, “Poison is in everything, and no thing is without poison. The dosage makes it either a poison or a remedy.” Even vitamins can be toxic at the right levels.
A Word about Pest Products that you get at the Store
Most pest control products that you get at your local grocery or hardware store can cause health problems, some serious. This is in part due to the fact that most people do not follow, or even read, the instructions for use. They can make people, especially children, as well as pets, sick. Every year, poison control handles hundreds of calls regarding people who have become ill after using or being around these pest control products.
Trust and Reputation
The best way to be certain of what pesticides are being applied in and around your home is to hire a pest professional with a solid reputation; someone you can trust. Most pesticides are safe for application where people and pets are – but some aren’t – and a qualified professional knows the difference. They have undergone a great deal of training to ensure that they have a solid understanding of product preparation and application. Pesticides are safe when used correctly.
Read more on commercial pest control to know more about how to eradicate pests in offices or buildings.
Photo by jetsandzeppelins. Used under CC BY 2.0.