November 2006
Effective Control of
Household Pests
Information for Older Adults and
Family Caregivers
Responsible
pesticide use is an
important issue
across generations.
Older adults may
be more suscepti-
ble to the effects
of exposure to
pesticides because
of age-related
changes in how
the body processes
chemicals.
Using an integrat-
ed pest manage-
ment system can
help you avoid
unnecessary use of
pesticides.
Did you know that eight out of ten U.S. house-
holds use pesticides both indoors and out-
side their home?1 Examples of pesticides in
common use include cockroach sprays and baits,
termite control products, rat poison, flea and tick
sprays and powders, weed killers, bug sprays, and
kitchen and bath disinfectants.
Environmental Hazards of Pesticides
Exposure to high levels of pesticides, usually due to
improper application of a product, may lead to acute
effects such as headaches, dizziness, muscle twitch-
ing, weakness, and nausea. Long-term and/or exces-
sive exposure to some pesticides has been linked to
cancer, reproductive effects, and effects on the cen-
tral nervous system.
Preventing Exposure
Grandparents can play an important role in keeping
children safe from hazardous pesticides by keeping
them out of reach.
Emergency room surveys suggest that children under
age six are more likely to be poisoned while visiting
grandparents where poisons are more likely to be in
reach and without child-resistant closures than when
in their own homes. In addition, while older adults
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account for only 2.8% of reported
poisoning incidents, they account
for 5.9% of all cases with a moder-
ate to major medical outcome and
28% of deaths.2
Use Integrated Pest
Management (IPM) -
Avoid Unnecessary Use of
Pesticides
The US EPA recommends using an
overall pest management strategy,
often called "integrated pest man-
agement (IPM)" for control of pests
in homes or apartment buildings.
IPM is a pest management system
that combines non-chemical control
strategies with less toxic pesticide
use minimizing risk to human
health and the environment.
For example, you might use traps,
baits and gels instead of sprays to
control pests. IPM minimizes health
risks for susceptible populations,
such as older adults.
Learn More About EPA's Aging Initiative
EPA's Aging Initiative, which is working to protect older adults from
environmental health risks through the coordination of research,
prevention strategies and public education. Visit
www.epa.gov/aging.
For more information on pesticides, call 703-305-5017 or visit our
web site at www.epa.gov/pesticides
If you or a family symptoms of having been poisoned,
call the National Poison Control Center at member shows
1-800-222-1222
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What You Can Do to Control
and Reduce Exposure
to Pesticide Hazards
Tips for home pesticide use:
• Read the label. The pesticide label is your best guide for safe
and effective use of pesticides. If you have impaired vision,
ask for assistance.
• Store pesticides only in their original containers. Never use
an empty pesticide container for another purpose.
• Use a community disposal program in your neighborhood.
Check with your local solid waste management authority,
environmental agency, or health department to find out if
your community has a hazardous waste disposal program. If
not, carefully follow the disposal instructions on the label.
• Never use outdoor-pesticides indoors.
• Keep people and pets away from areas where pesticide
sprays and foggers are applied. Read label to determine
when it is safe for people or pets to re-enter area.
• Avoid spraying where you prepare or store food, and avoid
treating entire floors, walls or ceilings.
• Limit pesticide applications to infested area and use only the
amount recommended on the product label.
• Avoid applying pesticides outdoors on a windy day. Before
spraying close the doors and windows of your home.
• After applying a pesticide, wash any parts of your body or
clothes that might have come in contact with the pesticide.
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ENDNOTES
1 U.S. EPA, National Household Pesticide Usage Study, 1992, Office of
Pesticide Programs
2 National Poison Control Center Data, 1993-1998
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