danger pesticidessource: msnbc.msn.com

Twenty-five-year-old Elizabeth Whitfield’s mobile home is still infested with insects but her 10-month-old baby is dead, her 2-year-old son was critically injured, and she had to be re-admitted to the emergency room yesterday with breathing problems after using a “fogger” type pesticide repeatedly in her home.

The bug spray seems to have had no effect on the roaches, which are still running around unchecked. Because they were not being killed, Whitfield used more and more foggers – a total of seven – in a short time period. Normally, you would use one a month or every other month. She was using two or three per week. The fumes were so bad that a hazardous materials team had to be called in before investigators could enter the house.

Instructions for the spray say to protect all furnishings, leave the area for four hours during the application, and open all windows and doors to air out the home for an hour before returning. The fogger works by releasing an oily residue of bug-killing chemicals over a 6,000 cubic foot area. Whitfield was so coated with these chemicals when she first arrived in the hospital that that she had to remove all her clothes and wash herself down in the shower.

It’s unclear whether the family was present in the home during the fogger applications. Nonetheless, the buildup of fumes was strong enough to kill humans without harming any bugs, who may have become resistant to the pesticide. If there is anyone out there who questions whether pesticides are harmful to humans, here is a tragic example of just how toxic they are. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the 2-year-old struggling for his life and to Whitfield herself. Both will have to deal with the effects of pesticide poisoning and we hope that they do not develop the debilitating condition known as chemical sensitivity which pesticide poisoning has caused in some people in the past. read full story

3 Comments

  1. earthwalker

    Isn’t this just horrible? I hate reporting such depressing news but I think it’s important to hear about these things in case it can save someone’s life or health in the future. It’s just so sad.

  2. Bugman

    I think this is a tragic example of pesticide misue. I have worked in the pest control industry for 8 years and have heard horror stories about what some people do with the products you can buy in the store. This is definitely the worst. People need to know that more is not better, and that the directions on the label are LAW and not just a good suggestion. If you are unable or unsure on how to treat for a pest in your home, CONTACT A PROFESSIONAL.

  3. earthwalker

    You are right Bugman, this is an obvious misuse of the product. However, I think it’s a mistake for anyone to assume that if they use these toxic products as directed they will be fine. Sure, they might be (or they might SEEM to be…only to get cancer or another disease years down the line). But I know too many people whose health and lives were destroyed from one in-home pesticide application. Not all humans have the same ability to process these harmful neurotoxins and since we don’t know which ones of us are more vulnerable, we play Russian roulette when messing with products like this.

    Unfortunately, most of us humans only wake up to this fact when its too late…and then we try to warn others but no one wants to hear it. I am hoping that a tragic story like this one will help to open people’s minds up to the dangers of pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides.

    There are a lot of things people can do to try to eradicate a bug problem before turning to the big guns….

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