How to protect yourself from pesticides

Pesticides have helped many farmers, gardeners and homeowners prevent pests from ruining crops, gardens and lawns. But pesticides are also harmful to humans and pets because they’re poisonous.

Fortunately, there are clear and simple methods to help you protect yourself and your family from harmful pesticides.

What are pesticides?

Pesticides are any chemicals that help prevent pests (like bugs and animals) from ruining food, lawns or gardens. There are a wide variety of pesticides, which are deployed differently depending on the type or pest targeted as well as the type of crop grown.

Pesticides aren’t just used commercially. If you’re using some chemical to keep bugs, animals or germs out of your lawn or garden, you’re using a pesticide. Easily accessible pesticides are part of why it’s so important to know how to protect yourself from them.

What happens if you ingest pesticides?

There are three ways to ingest pesticides:

• By eating or drinking them
• By inhaling them
• By absorbing them through the skin

Pesticide poisoning looks differently depending on which method you were exposed and how much you consumed. However, some common pesticide poisoning symptoms include:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Skin irritation
• Confusion and tremors
• Coughing and difficulty breathing

Organic food and pesticides

One way to minimize the risk of pesticide exposure is to consider buying organic foods. Organic foods are not necessarily pesticide-free, but they are regulated in a different way than non-organic foods. Most pesticides used in organic farming are naturally-derived pesticides (meaning they come from plants or animals). This is different than the synthetic pesticides.

Organic foods that are worth buying

The best foods to buy organic are those that have significantly higher risk of pesticide exposure and absorption. These fruits and veggies don’t have any protection to pesticides, and include:

• Berries
• Green beans
• Spinach
• Apples

Certain types of fruits and vegetables have strong protection against pesticides. That’s because the pesticides cover the hard exterior of the fruit or vegetable and don’t penetrate to the edible interior. For these, buying non-organic can help you save money and present minimal risk. Examples include:

• Bananas
• Oranges
• Avocados

While organic fruits and vegetables largely have less pesticide risk than non-organic varieties, eating fruits and veggies is still better than skipping them, as long as you prepare them properly and take the right precautions.

Other tips for avoiding pesticides

Since pesticides are very common, it’s important to take steps to minimize pesticide exposure. Some universal tips include:

• Washing your fruits and veggies. Washing helps remove any dirt or pesticides, and should be done regardless if you’re buying organic or non-organic foods.
• Storing chemicals properly. Don’t keep chemicals where they can be easily spilled or accidentally ingested by children or pets. Always replace lids and tighten containers.
• Following directions when using chemicals. Don’t use chemicals where they aren’t designed to be used. Carefully ensure that you’re using the correct amount of chemical for your use case.
• Protecting yourself when working with chemicals. Be sure to wear gloves, a mask or any other recommended protective material. This helps mitigate the consequences if you happen to spill a chemical or spray a chemical incorrectly.

What should I do if I suspect pesticide poisoning?

Accidental poisonings can happen, especially with young children. If you suspect that you or a family member is poisoned by pesticides, call Poison Control right away at 1-800-222-1222.