10 keys to protect kids from pesticides

Pest -icide is to kill an unwanted pest. Any time we are using any item that has the power to kill something, we have to be aware of how it works and how to protect ourselves from it.

Exposure is what we want to eliminate. But when someone, professional or homeowner, sprays; they are atomizing that chemical and blanketing an area. So how do we protect ourselves.

Here are 10 quick check list items to follow:

1. Start with the concentrate bottle the chemical came in. If a homeowner has any pesticide in the garage, it has to be locked up where a child can not reach it at any time.
2. Mixing utensils and what was used to apply the chemical should be treated as a contaminated item and removed from the child's ability to contact. This include any and all clothing used to apply the chemical including shoes.
3. If a professional is spraying nearby, do not hesitate to go up to them and ask them what they are spraying and what pest they are trying to control. Write this information down in front of the applicator and he or she will be far more careful about exposure.
4. Note the wind direction immediately; where is the atomized material moving to? If the wind is over ten miles per hour, ask the applicator if he or she is aware of this and that in many states it is illegal to spray.
5. If it is your property being sprayed. Ask the applicator to email the night before and to give you the a.i., (Active ingredient), that will be sprayed. Ask for information about the product and what the label states should be done to prevent exposure.
6. Do not presume the applicator will be careful. Number one dangerous item I see in every yard is the barbeque area. So many people have the brush they clean the grate, and often the spatula, right out in an area it can be over sprayed. Remove these items along with children's toys, the pet's food and water bowl and pet's toys.
7. If possible, leave the area when the application is done and do not return for several hours. Once the product is dry there is far less possibility of exposure.
8. Before calling to have a pesticide sprayed, be honest with how much pest pressure there is (i.e. one spider has been seen or ten spiders), and always check for alternative organic methods first. However, organic does not equal safe, check for side effects of any organic method.
9. EPA is very stringent on creating products that break down quickly under UV rays so the product does not stay in the environment too long. With that in mind, younger children should not play on surfaces such as lawns that have been sprayed for a day or two to help time reduce the exposure, longer if possible.
10. The rule, if it smells bad it is bad, is a good way to help you decide if a chemical has broken down to the point the exposure is reduced. Many weed killers have a distinct odor, if you can smell that odor, you are too exposed. The chemical is volatizing which means it can now move into your child's lungs where it moves quickly into the blood stream. Lungs, and eyes are the first priority. Dermal exposure can be washed off due to the fact the skin is a good first defense but it must be washed off immediately before the pores in the skin have time to absorb the material. If your child runs barefoot in the lawn, always have them wash their feet. Keep in mind, balls roll on that ground then get picked up with little hands, wash those hands.