Purdue News

June 23, 2000 Pesticide ban costs consumers WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The recent ban on most uses of chlorpyrifos will keep kids from coming in contact with much of the pesticide, but it also will make it harder for homeowners to control insect pests in the house and garden, says Purdue University entomologist Gary Bennett. "There are alternative products out there, but everybody's going to pay more for less-effective control of occasional invaders like spiders, cockroaches, ants and termites," Bennett says. "In general, the lower-priced products were the ones that contained chlorpyrifos." Chlorpyrifos, sold under trade names such as Dursban and Lorsban, has been one of the most widely used organophosphate pesticides in the United States. In a recent review, the Environmental Protection Agency decided that under past regulations, too much chlorpyrifos got into children's diets. They estimate that the new restrictions will reduce dietary exposure to chlorpyrifos by 75 percent, which should eliminate concerns about dietary risk. Nearly one-quarter of all chlorpyrifos was used to treat homes for termites, a use which will be phased out by the year 2005. Homeowners can no longer use it in houses or gardens, except in ant baits in child-resistant packaging. Soon it won't be used in parks, schools or other areas where children congregate. Farmers will no longer be able to use it on tomatoes and will only use it with restrictions on apples and grapes. Reduced rates of the pesticide can still be used on golf courses, in road medians and at industrial plant sites. If you find your house or garden invaded by unwanted insects, Bennett recommends taking an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach. This means doing such things as eliminating nests or breeding areas for insect pests, keeping track of insect populations and only treating when insects actually threaten homes or gardens. "For a long time we've advocated using IPM – using any strategy you can to limit pesticide inputs," Bennett says. "In our research we're constantly looking for new, less-toxic methods of control. You'll also find that approach in our publications." For information on controlling household pests, Bennett recommends downloading Purdue Extension Entomology (E-series) publications from the Web. To order a catalog that lists the publications, call toll free, 888-EXT-INFO (398-4636). Source: Gary Bennett, (765) 494-4564, gbennett@purdue.edu Writer: Rebecca J. Goetz (765) 494-0461, rjg@aes.purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page