been found in the air inside homes. The amount of pesticides found in homes appears
to be greater than can be explained by recent pesticide use in those households.
Pesticides used in and around the home include products to control insects (insecti-
cides), termites (termiticides), rodents (rodenticides),fungi (fungicides), and microbes
(disinfectants). In 1990, the American Association of Poison Control Centers reported
that some 79,000 children were involved incommon household pesticide poisonings or
exposures. In households with children under five years old, almost one-half stored at
least one pesticide product within reach of children. Exposure to high levels of cyclodiene
pesticides, commonly associated with misapplication, has produced various symptoms,
including headaches, dizziness, muscle twitching, weakness, tingling sensations, and nau-
sea. In addition, the EPA is concerned that cyclodienes might cause long-term damage
to the liver and the central nervous system, as well as an increased risk of cancer.^2
It is difficult to ignore the statistics: homeowners use 2 billion pounds of insecticides
annually, both inside and outside their homes. In 2002, 3.2 million people reported
medically related side effects from pesticides.^3 Each year poisonings result in nearly
900,000 visits to emergency rooms and some 1,100 deaths. The overwhelming majority
of poisonings occur in homes. Many common household products can be poisonous,
including pesticides, which can be dangerous if used incorrectly or if they are not stored
properly and out of the reach of children. In 2003, children under the age of six were
exposed to pesticides 50,415 times. However, experts estimate that this represents only
one-fourth to one-third of pesticide exposure incidents reported to health-care profes-
sionals. A further challenge to collecting reliable pesticide exposure information is the
fact that pesticide exposure may be misdiagnosed with symptoms of the common flu.
A survey by the EPA regarding pesticides used in and around the home revealed that
almost half (47 percent) of all households with children under the age of five had at
least one pesticide stored in an unlocked cabinet less than four feet off the ground, or
within the reach of children. Furthermore, approximately 75 percent of households
without children under the age of five also stored pesticides in an unlocked cabinet less
than four feet off the ground. This number is especially significant because 13 percent
of all pesticide poisoning incidents occur in homes other than the child’s home.^4Indoor Air and SurfacesIt is becoming more widely recognized that most of our exposure to pesticides is
through breathing indoor air and not through residues in our food. The EPA con-
ducted a three-year study, 1986 to 1988, to estimate levels of exposure to selected
household pesticides experienced by the general population.^5 Thirty-two different
pesticides and breakdown products were detected at least once in air samples taken
inside and outside the homes studied. The most frequently detected pesticides were
the widely used household insecticides, chlorpyrifos, diazinon, and propoxur; ortho-
phenylphenol, an active ingredient in disinfectants; and the now banned insecticide
chlordane. Indoor air was found to have much higher concentrations of pesticides than
outdoor air, a significant finding given that small children spend close to 90 percent158 | Pesticides