Top Pesticide Blunders

March 27, 2008

If you are like me, you don't live in California but respect the fact that there are some things we can all learn from the Golden State (disclosure: I was born, raised and educated in California). Among them are how NOT to do some things. Each spring the California Department of Pesticide Regulation puts out a list of pesticide-related blunders. They are usually entertaining, in a slapstick sort of way. What's more, they are always a nice antidote to that complacent voice in your head that might tell you it's okay to put some nasty poison in a food container. Here's this year's Blunder list. Read it aloud to friends and family.

1. When Orange County residents complained of a raccoon problem, a friend overseas sent them a black, granular pesticide. The wife mixed it with meat as bait for raccoons. The raccoons did not eat it, so she labeled and froze the meatballs. Some time later, her husband cooked and ate the meatballs. He became seriously ill and drove to a hospital. (Suspected pesticide-poisoning victims should never drive themselves to treatment, since they may be impaired by the toxin.) This victim survived both his mistakes. Later analysis of the pesticide showed that it was nine percent aldicarb, a highly toxic insecticide; one teaspoon of the pure ingredient could kill five healthy adults.

2. In Los Angeles County, a woman put some insecticide into a soft drink bottle and gave it to her sister to take home. The sister left the bottle on a table, where her husband and four-year-old daughter drank from it. They recognized their mistake and made themselves vomit before going to an emergency room; both recovered. (However, some liquid pesticides pose a risk to the lungs from induced vomiting. Pesticide labels provide treatment instructions, but these victims did not have a labeled container. Fortunately, they had no further health problems from their pesticide exposure.)

3. In San Joaquin County, an apartment dweller set off a "bug bomb" sitting on top of his gas stove. When the aerosol came in contact with the stove’s pilot light, the resulting blast blew out the apartment’s windows, pushed out walls and raised the roof. A neighbor’s windows also blew out, according to firefighters who responded to the scene. "Bug bombs" should never be used in any structure until all ignition sources - - including gas pilot lights - - are turned off.   

4.  A Kern County homeowner left a container of pool chlorine powder in the sun on a warm day. When he opened the container, the heated and pressurized powder blew into his face and eyes. He sought medical treatment for symptoms that included eye irritation.

5. An Imperial County homeowner activated six "bug bombs" inside his kitchen cabinets without turning off the gas stove’s pilot light. He then waited at the kitchen entrance because he wanted to see the cockroaches die. The pilot light ignited the fogger propellant, causing extensive damage. The victim suffered burns to his face, arms and legs, but he did not require hospitalization.

6. A Los Angeles woman poured a bleach solution into a water bottle to sanitize it. When she placed several drinking water bottles in her refrigerator. She mistakenly included the one containing sanitizer as well, and later took a drink of the bleach.

7. A Monterey County apartment resident poured three cleaning products into a toilet bowl - - an inappropriate mix - - left the bathroom, and returned a short time later. When she entered the room, she inhaled the vapors from the chemical reaction, began to experience breathing problems, and had to call 911 for assistance.

For more information on home and garden pesticide safety, see DPR consumer fact sheets at www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/dept/factshts/factmenu.htm