As you can see, people have actually died from exposure to these chemicals, including one child in 2000 that died after her mom washed the child’s hair with lice treatment shampoo that contained pyrethrins. Yikes.

 

Though shocking, reports that these chemicals are harmful is news to most consumers because the EPA didn’t make the information very easy to get to (until now). Luckily, the Center was able to use the media’s best weapon — the Freedom of Information Act — to force the government to disclose documents it would otherwise prefer to keep secret.

 

Even more disturbing than the incidents themselves are the chemicals’ potential long-term effects, which are pretty much unknown as a result of EPA’s tendency to only look at chemicals’ immediate effects when determining whether a chemical is “safe.” Despite the EPA’s lack of knowledge, there are other studies that have looked into this issue, including one that found rats exposed to low doses of pyrethroids and an additional chemical, such as DEET or even common allergy medicine, developed brain damage after two months. To top it off, the Center claims that people with ragweed allergies and asthma may be particularly sensitive to pyrethrins and pyrethroids because pyrethrins (which are extracted from chrysanthemum plants) can trigger allergic reactions in some people.

 

Unfortunately, these insecticides are commonly found in household items like bug-repellant clothing, flea collars and shampoos, lawn-care products, carpet sprays and de-licing shampoos. Basically, if you have a can of Raid in your house, it probably has pyrethins or pyethroids listed in the ingredients.

 

If this gives you the creeps, you’re not alone. Debra Edwards, former director of the EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs, was so taken aback by the Center’s reports that she said the EPA plans to examine the health effects of pyrethrins and pyrethroids sooner than originally intended.

In the meantime, people have three options to limit their exposure to these chemicals: educate themselves by looking at the Center’s pesticide incident database; find safer, more eco-friendly means of bug control; or, resign yourself to living alone in a bubble for the rest of your life.