Being a homeowner often means dealing with pests that affect your home, yard, and garden—time to reach for the pesticide. Depending on the type of pests and how specifically you want to target them, you can wind up with many containers. If it’s time to consolidate or eliminate some, it’s important to understand the hazards that pesticides can pose, especially some older products. Learn the risks and your disposal options for household pesticides.
Types of Household Pesticides
Pesticides are defined by what the chemicals target to kill. Some products cover a wider range of organisms than others, such as a general herbicide that kills all plants vs. one that affects weeds but not grass. Below are the most common types of household pesticides:
- Herbicides: Generally sold as grass or weed killers, these products contain chemicals designed to kill plants—either specific species or generally.
- Insecticides: Often designed for specific species of insects that are nuances in the garden (such as slugs) or the home (such as ants), there are also broad insecticides.
- Fungicides: For dealing with mold, mildew, or other certain types of destructive fungus, many of these products are designed to be safe on the surfaces of plants or animals.
- Other Pesticides: Additional types include ones that target rodents (rodenticides), snails (molluscicides), and mites (miticides), but there are many specialized versions that cover most types of pests.
Hazardous Chemicals in Pesticides
The health effects of pesticides and insecticides depend on the chemicals within. By reading the labels of these containers, you can learn more about the risks posed by each. For example, some contain organophosphates or carbamates that could affect the nervous system. Others may affect the hormonal or endocrine systems in the human body. They can also be carcinogenic or cause burns or irritation to the skin or eyes. Older products may contain DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane), a chemical that has been banned due to being a probable human carcinogen and its effects on the environment.
Find information for your specific product and state using the National Pesticide Information Network.
Handling and Storing Hazardous Pesticides
Like with many common household hazardous products, your work starts when buying products and only ends after proper disposal. For everything in the middle:
- Use Proper Safety Gear: You should always wear gloves when handling gardening chemicals. For spray or powder application, use a mask if the products are being used extensively.
- Avoid Overuse: Especially with lawn chemicals, using in larger doses can cause excess chemicals to join runoff from rain or sprinklers, endangering drinking water and the environment.
- Avoid Excess Amounts: Make sure to buy only what you’d need for up to two years, as most products start becoming unusable after that.
- Storage Best Practices: Store in original containers out of reach of children and pets. Avoid storing in damp places, especially with paper or metal containers.
- Banned or Restricted Status: Especially if you are using gifted or older herbicides or pesticides, make sure they are allowed for use in your area (here’s a link for the MA Pesticide Program).
Learn more in our blog, Safe Disposal of Herbicides and Pesticides.
NEDT is here to help you keep yourself and your family safe when it comes to pesticides, including help for handling, storing, and disposing of them, alongside other gardening chemicals like fertilizers. Learn more about our Household Hazardous Products Collection Centers and what we accept. We have multiple disposal options, including at our locations and our pick-up service. Want to learn more or have any questions about the products in your home? Contact us today!
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