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You are here: NPIC Home Page Pesticide Health and Safety Information

Pesticide Health and Safety Information

Pesticides can be beneficial to society in many ways. Pesticides are used to control

• disease-carrying insects like ticks and mosquitoes
• rodents which may transmit disease
• germs and pathogenic organisms
• pests that damage homes and structures vital to public safety
• pests that damage crops

However, pesticides can also be harmful to human or animal health or the environment when pesticides are not used according to label directions, or when one is over-exposed to a pesticide. Examples of harm include:

• Mothballs may cause health problems when not used in air-tight containers as directed by the product label.
• Pesticides may be ingested if stored improperly in food or beverage containers.
• Your cat may become sick if you apply a flea product that is intended for dogs.

Therefore, when using pesticides:

• Minimize the need for pesticides by practicing integrated pest management
• Buy only what you need this season
• Always read and follow the label directions
• Follow safe use practices
• Minimize your exposure

To learn more, choose from the following topics:

• Human Health
• Animal Health
• Safe Use Practices
• Food Safety

If you have questions about this, or any pesticide-related topic, please call NPIC at 1-800-858-7378 (8:00am - 12:00pm PST), or email us at npic@ace.orst.edu.

Related Topics:

What are pests?

What are pesticides?

Disponible en español

Please read our disclaimer | Contact us | About NPIC | En español

NPIC provides objective, science-based information about pesticides and pesticide-related topics to enable people to make informed decisions. NPIC is a cooperative agreement between Oregon State University and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (cooperative agreement #X8-83560101). The information in this publication does not in any way replace or supersede the restrictions, precautions, directions, or other information on the pesticide label or any other regulatory requirements, nor does it necessarily reflect the position of the U.S. EPA.