Ten Reasons
to Reduce
Pesticide Use
in Rental
Housing
April, 2009
1. Pesticides are
hazardous to human
health.
Common insecticides with EPA-identified cancer concerns
bifenthrin
possible human carcinogen
cypermethrin
possible human carcinogen
fipronil
possible human carcinogen
malathion
suggestive evidence of carcinogenicity
permethrin
likely to be carcinogenic to humans
piperonyl butoxide (synergist)
possible human carcinogen
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2008. Chemicals evaluated for carcinogenic
potential. http://envirocancer.cornell.edu/turf/chemseval.pdf.
Common insecticides with NIOSH-identified concerns about
reproductive harm
cypermethrin
reduced male fertility; birth defects
deltamethrin
reduced newborn survival; birth defects
fipronil
effects on newborn behavior
imidacloprid
miscarriages; birth defects
permethrin
reduced fertility; reduced newborn survival
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. 2008. Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical
Substances. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/rtecs/gz1312d0.html;
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/rtecs/gz12d068.html; http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/rtecs/uq4399aa.html;
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/rtecs/nj88b80.html; http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/rtecs/gz132658.html.
2. Pesticides cause special problems for children.
For their size, children drink more water and eat more food than
adults do. Their play exposes them to pesticides.
Exposure to a common insecticide
2-phenoxybenzoic acid
(micrograms per liter)
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
children
adults
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2005. Third National Report on Human
Exposure to Environmental Chemicals.
http://www.cdc.gov/ExposureReport/pdf/thirdreport.pdf.
3. Pesticides
often
contaminate
food.
Common insecticides found by USDA on common food items
72% of broccoli samples contaminated with imidacloprid
39% of frozen potato samples contaminated with imidacloprid
45% of cherry samples contaminated with bifenthrin
21% of celery samples contaminated with malathion
46% of celery samples contaminated with permethrin
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. Agricultural Marketing Service. Science and Technology Programs.
2008. Pesticide Data Program: Annual Summary, Calendar Year 2007.
www.ams.usda.gov/pdp.
4. Pesticides are particularly hazardous for pesticide
applicators.
Agricultural Health Study
Sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, the National
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and the
Environmental Protection Agency
Linked to pesticide use:
• cancer
• depression
• retinal degeneration
• neurological problems
• asthma and other breathing problems
• diabetes
http://aghealth.nci.nih.gov/
5. Pesticides are hazardous to pets.
“We looked over the U.S. EPA's database of reported
incidents involving domestic animals, from all products
containing pyrethrins and pyrethroids. We found numerous
cases of animals whose skin was burned, animals that had
seizures and vomiting. We found tens of thousands of
reported incidents, including thousands of deaths.”
Joel Grover and Matt Goldberg.NBC-Los Angeles. 2009. Pet Products Investigation. Mar 24.
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Pet_Products_Concern.html.
6. Pesticides
contaminate
water and air.
Common insecticides in a survey of 30 California streams
bifenthrin - 100%
cyfluthrin - 97%
permethrin
53%
Robert W. Holmes et al. 2008. Statewide Investigation of the Role of Pyrethroid
Pesticides in Sediment Toxicity in California’s Urban Waterways. Environ. Sci.
Technol. 42 (18): 7003-7009.
7. Pesticides are hazardous to fish and birds.
cypermethrin
“For freshwater fish, invertebrates, and estuarine/marine
fish, invertebrates, technical grade cypermethrin is very
highly toxic on an acute basis.”
--U.S. EPA
deltamethrin
“moderately to highly toxic to fish”
--National Pesticide Information Center
fipronil
“highly toxic to bobwhite quail and pheasants”
“highly to very highly toxic to marine and freshwater fish”
--National Pesticide Information Center
imidacloprid
“highly toxic to the house sparrow, moderately toxic to
upland game birds”
--National Pesticide Information Center
malathion
“considered moderate to very high in toxicity to fish”
--National Pesticide Information Center
permethrin
“highly toxic to both freshwater and estuarine aquatic
organisms”
--U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
8. Pesticide health
and safety testing
is conducted by
pesticide
manufacturers.
9. Pesticides have too many secrets.
10. Pesticides
don’t solve
pest
problems.
Solving a pest problem means changing the
conditions that allow a pest to thrive.
Definition of “Integrated Pest Management” in California law
Healthy Schools Act of 2000 (Assembly Bill 2260)
"…a pest management strategy that focuses on long-term
prevention or suppression of pest problems through a
combination of techniques such as monitoring for pest presence
and establishing treatment threshold levels, using nonchemical
practices to make the habitat less conducive to pest
development, improving sanitation, and employing mechanical
and physical controls. Pesticides that pose the least possible
hazard and are effective in a manner that minimizes risks to
people, property, and the environment, are used only after
careful monitoring indicates they are needed according to preestablished guidelines and treatment thresholds."
Percentage of
apartments with
cockroaches
Successful IPM in New York City apartments
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
IPM
No
IPM
No
IPM
IPM
start of study
end of study
Barbara L. Brenner et al. 2003. Integrated Pest Management in an Urban
Community: A Successful Partnership for Prevention. Environ Health Perspect
111:1649–1653.
Costs of successful IPM
“The costs of adopting buildingwide IPM in a typical
East Harlem apartment building were calculated to be
$46–69 per unit in the first year (including repairs) and
$24 per unit per year in subsequent years. In
comparison, the costs of traditional, chemically based
pest control are estimated to be $24–46 per unit per
year.”
Barbara L. Brenner et al. 2003. Integrated Pest Management in an Urban
Community: A Successful Partnership for Prevention. Environ Health Perspect
111:1649–1653.
Reducing pesticide use is
good for tenants, good for
property managers, and good
for the environment.
Caroline Cox
caroline@ceh.org