The Biggest Risk
Most calls to poison control centres involving pesticides are incidents where the exposure happened at home. Accidents happen:
- When pesticides are stored improperly
- When pesticides are spilled
The biggest concern with improperly stored pesticides around homes is accidental poisoning of children.
Using less toxic treatments
Some treatments are less toxic, but if the treatment is formulated as a bait and left out in the home garden, it’s still a risk to children and pets. Apply baits out of reach of children and pets. Always follow directions on the label.
Some baits attract not just the target pests… but will also attract your PETS! Read the label and know what the risks are to your pets. A pesticide such as metaldehyde (slug bait) may not be toxic to bees and other insects, but it can be fatal to dogs and cats, which are attracted to this bait.