Chemical Concerns

Knowing what’s in a product makes you think twice.

Pesticide products contain both ‘active’ and ‘inert’ ingredients. An active ingredient is one that prevents, destroys, repels or mitigates a pest. An inert ingredient is simply any ingredient in the product that is not intended to affect a target pest.

For example, isopropyl alcohol may be an active ingredient and anti-microbial pesticide in some products; however, in other products, it is used as a solvent and may be considered an inert ingredient.

While the potential risks of active ingredients are accepted, the inert ingredients cannot be overlooked. Many consumers are mislead by the term ‘inert’, believing it to mean ‘harmless.’ It should never be assumed that inert ingredients are non-toxic.

Solvents are materials in which pesticides are dissolved or adsorbed (sometimes called carriers or vehicles). They are selected by manufacturers to achieve stability of the active ingredient, convenience and handling and application, and maximum killing power. Such exposures can result in significant toxic effects that in many cases exceeds the toxicity of the active pesticide ingredient(s). It is sometimes more difficult to obtain information about the solvents because they are considered proprietary information, further complicating the risks and issues of diagnosis and management.

The concerns over inerts, actives and solvents apply to all treatment products whether they are over-the-counter treatments, prescriptions, or marketed as all-natural, non-toxic, or pesticide-free remedies.

The graph below is a partial listing of various products: