Study in Boston Shows Ways to Decrease Pesticide Exposure, Especially Among Children

New research indicates that household pesticide contamination emphasizes the need for less reliance on pesticides and a greater emphasis on neatness, block cracks where insects can enter and other integrated pest management measures, according to scientists.

Chensheng Lu and colleagues cite previous studies showing that urban, low-income, multifamily, public housing dwellings are prone to severe pest infestation problems.

Boston families in particular who live in housing developments rank high among those suffering from pest infestation, pesticide use and pest allergies. They rank so high, in fact, that they are second only to crime as matters of concern.

In an effort to encourage use of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which reduces reliance on traditional pesticides, Lu's team studied exposure to 19 pesticides among children in 20 families in Boston's public housing.

In all homes, they found pesticides, along with indications or sightings of live pests or pest debris and traditional pesticides typically used were found to have little or no effect.

"The results from the current study, as well as other recent studies, conducted in low-income public housing, child care centers and randomly selected homes in the U.S. should accentuate the need for alternative pest management programs," the report states.

IPM focuses on eliminating the cause of pest infestations by minimizing access to food, water, hiding places, and sealing cracks and other openings in walls to prevent entry of pests.

Their study appears in the ACS' journal Environmental Science & Technology.