Are Registered Pesticides Safe?

A Pesticide is any product or solution used in the control of pests, often bugs.  It can be a dangerous, synthetic chemical like DDT, or it can be boiling water poured into a fire ant mound.  Governments throughout the world are all involved in what pesticides are deemed acceptable based on a complex process including research, testing, and regulations. 

The United States has the most complex, layered and mysterious process imaginable when it comes to registering pesticides.  Millions of dollars each year are paid to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by companies who are asking to ‘register’ their synthetic, chemical pesticide products with the EPA.  The active ingredient in a pesticide product is identified and the EPA performs tests to determine the upper levels of acceptable exposure to the active ingredient.  Keep in mind the ‘active ingredient’ is the synthetic, chemical poison, toxin, or lethal substance used to kill, mitigate, or control a pest.  Once the maximum exposure for a 180-pound male is determined, application rates of the product are approved, the label states the percentages of active ingredient and ‘other’ or ‘inactive’ ingredients, and the product is now ‘registered’ with the EPA.  Phew!  We’re safe now, right?

Well, no.  Not safe at all.

First, exposure rates for a 180-pound male?  How much of the population is 180-pounds or more? What about a 40-pound toddler? Different people metabolize at different rates, body chemistry varies, and instances of adequate hydration, stress levels, etc., affect a person’s ability to handle exposure to toxins.  Poisons are not a one-size-fits-all conversation!

What about protection from the ‘other’ or ‘inactive’ ingredients?  What are the ‘other’ ingredients? Here is the scariest part – nobody knows!  There is NO requirement that the ‘other’ ingredients are even identified – they are complete secrets!  This deception is blessed by the US Government under the ridiculous notion that these ‘other’ ingredients are protected as trade secrets.  As though a pest control product you put on your child is equivalent to protection of the secret recipes for Kentucky Fried Chicken or Coca-Cola.  There is absolutely no oversight whatsoever on these ingredients.  Market conditions change and therefore the manufacturer of these pesticides switches out ‘other’ ingredients however they want.  But surely these manufacturers will only use safe ingredients, right?

Uh, no. 

Profits rule.  Once EPA registration is completed, ‘other’ ingredients purchased are merely the lowest priced alternative at the time of ordering supplies. 

Want proof of this?  Research “chemical burns on pets after using spot drop treatments” and become horrified at the images.  Every year there are thousands of complaints about pets being harmed by these spot drops.  People have been using a spot-drop product for years and yet suddenly after the latest application, the pet gets sick – it could be third degree burns down the back, uncontrolled movements, seizures, drooling, and even death.  All because the ‘other’ ingredients were changed and there are NO REGULATIONS to prevent this!

Ask the question again… Are ‘registered’ pesticides safe?