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While pesticides will likely kill whatever unwanted visitors are infesting your home, they can also be harmful to you and your family. Using pesticides in your home increases your exposure to dangerous chemicals through inhalation, ingestion and absorption through skin. Safety is an important consideration when applying chemicals to treat or prevent a pest's infestation, especially indoors.No matter how safe a modern insecticide may be, there are countless products which were used for years nonchalantly that are now believed to be linked to cancer and other diseases. When you see evidence of cockroaches in your home, your first inclination may be to reach for the strongest bug spray you can find. But before you do, take a deep breath and think again. The manufacturers may have been completely honest with the public about the "safety" of their current products at the time of their use, only to find later that there were unknown or unexpected negative results from exposure. You're role in safety is to control EXPOSURE. Exposure can occur through inhalation, skin exposure, eye exposure, or ingestion. The level of toxicity of a particular product wouldn't matter if you didn't allow yourself or others to be exposed to it. Most insecticide poisoning occurs when the applicator or other non-pest absorbs the product through his or her skin or breathes in airborne particles of the insecticide, fogger or fumigation.There are no "safe" pesticides out there. Some are safer than others - boric acid is an example. You can choose pesticides that are organic or labeled "non-toxic," but often they must be reapplied and they take longer to work. It's also nice to note that we are much, much larger than most of the insects we are trying to eradicate. In some cases, in addition to the massive dosage discrepancy, the insects also possess more chemical receptor sites for the particular active ingredient than mammals do. Pesticides are designed to be toxic to the pests they target—whether they are insects, cause plant disease, or are weeds or other unwanted home and garden invaders. If a pesticide is needed, select one that is effective against your pest and also poses the least risks to human health and the environment. Use only pesticides specifically labeled for indoor use inside the house. Many outdoor pesticides are designed to break down into less toxic substances with ventilation and in the daylight and the rain. Without these conditions the pesticides may linger and cause toxic conditions for humans or pets. When using any pesticide, be sure to limit the exposure of everyone in your household. Avoid frequent, preventative applications. Never exceed the application rate indicated in the instructions. When applying pesticides, follow all precautions listed on the label, such as wearing gloves, masks or goggles. Make sure any baits, traps or pesticide residues are kept out of reach of children and pets. Never dump leftover pesticides in the garbage, on the lawn, or down the drain, where it could contaminate the soil or drinking water. Check with your public works department about how to dispose of hazardous waste. If you do not have the time or ability to research your pest problem and safely apply the appropriate material to control it, you may want to hire a pest control service to do the job for you. Go to main page Auckland Pest Control for more information and reliable assistance
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