Gateway on Pesticide Hazards and Safe Pest Management

Updates from the Daily News Blog

Aerial Mosquito Spraying Linked to Elevated Autism Rates
June 15, 2017

Health Canada Will Begin Pesticide Testing of Cannabis After Recalls and Consumer Exposure
February 9, 2017

Study Finds Honey Bees Frequently Collect Contaminated Pollen from Non-Crop Plants
June 1, 2016

Pyrethroid Pesticide Use Increases Rates of ADHD in Adolescent Boys in New Study
June 4, 2015

Conviction Overturned for Organic Winemaker Who Refused to Spray Pesticides
December 10, 2014

Organic Farmer Faces Jail Time for Refusing to Spray Pesticide
February 26, 2014

Children Exposed to Increasing Concentrations of Pyrethroid Insecticides
February 10, 2014

Report Finds an Increase in Pyrethriod Pesticides in California Waters
April 23, 2013

Yet Again, Researchers Prove Bed Bugs Resistant to Common Pesticides
June 7, 2012

Take Action: EPA Proposes Expansion of Neurotoxic Pyrethroid Uses
January 31, 2012

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Pyrethrins

General Information

• Fact Sheet: Synthetic.Pyrethroids.Factsheet.pdf
• Product Names:

  Raid House & Garden Bug Killer (SC Johnson), formulated with Piperonyl butoxide, Isobutane, Propane
  Hot Shot Kitchen Bug Killer 2 (Spectrum Brands), formulated with Piperonyl butoxide, Isobutane
  Raid Flea Killer Plus (SC Johnson), formulated with Piperonyl butoxide, Isobutane, N-Octyl bicycloheptene dicarboximide (MGK 264), Tetramethrin, Propane
  Pyrenone (Bayer Environmental Science), formulated with Piperonyl butoxide
  Hartz 2 in 1 Flea + Tick Killer (Hartz Mountain), formulated with Piperonyl butoxide, N-Octyl bicycloheptene dicarboximide

• Chemical Class: Pyrethrin insecticide
• Uses: Pre-harvest and postharvest uses on many agricultural crops; livestock animals and premises; commercial and industrial facilities and storage areas where raw and processed food/feed commodities are stored or processed; wide area mosquito abatement use in areas which include aquatic areas; and residential settings. Targets many different types of insects and arthropods including ants, worms, beetles, mites, flies, gnats, spiders, weevils, caterpillars, grubs, moths, ticks, lice, wasps, aphids, midges etc.
• Alternatives: Organic Agriculture, Least-toxic mosquito control
• Beyond Pesticides rating: Toxic

Health and Environmental Effects

• Cancer: Likely (16)
• Endocrine Disruption: Not documented
• Reproductive Effects: Not documented
• Neurotoxicity: Not documented
• Kidney/Liver Damage: Not documented
• Sensitizer/ Irritant: Yes (4)
• Birth/Developmental: Not documented
• Detected in Groundwater: Not documented
• Potential Leacher: Not documented
• Toxic to Birds: Not documented
• Toxic to Fish/Aquatic Organisms: Yes (8)
• Toxic to Bees: Yes (57)

Residential Uses as Found in the ManageSafe™ Database

• Ants
• Bed Bugs
• Carpenter Ants
• Cockroaches
• Fleas
• Head Lice
• Spiders
• Carpenter Bees
• Chiggers
• Mosquitoes
• Wasps and Yellowjackets
• Bagworms
• Carpet Beetle
• Centipedes
• Ticks
• Aphids

Additional Information

• Regulatory Status:
  • EPA Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) signed (6/2006)
  • Beyond Pesticides' Pyrethrins RED comments.
• Supporting information:
  • Asthma, Children and Pesticides (Beyond Pesticides)
  • NCAP Pyrethrins Factsheet (Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides)
  • Extoxnet Pyrethrins Factsheet (Extension Toxicology Network)
  • PAN Pesticides Database:Pyrethrins (Pesticide Action Network)
  • Scorecard Pyrethrins Factsheet (The Pollution Information Site)
• Studies:
  • Acute Illnesses Associated With Pesticide Exposure at Schools, Alarcon, W. et. al. 2005. Journal of the American Medical Association. 294 (4):455-465