Pesticides Around the Home: Safe Use and Alternatives author: Tayren N. Ben-Abraham, MPH, MSc, M.A., M.A.

                                             Figure 1. Man spraying crops with        

                                             pesticides. Source: Freepik.com

Introduction

Pesticides are chemicals or other substances used to control organisms considered pests (Khan et al., 2023). They can help control insects, weeds, fungi, rodents, and other unwanted organisms around homes, gardens, and farms (Daraban et al., 2023). Pesticides can be useful, but unnecessary use can increase opportunities for exposure and toxicity (Tudi et al., 2022). So, one may ask, “Are there any alternatives I can consider to lessen my exposure?” Gladly the answer is yes. The alternative, Integrated pest management (IPM), offers another approach: prevent pest problems when possible, use nonchemical methods first, and use pesticides when they are actually needed (Angon et al., 2023).

What Is a Pesticide?

Different pesticides target different types of organisms:

• Insecticides control insects (Gul et al., 2023)
• Herbicides control unwanted plants and weeds (Ofusu et al., 2023).
• Fungicides control fungi (Islam et al., 2024).
• Rodenticides control rodents (Blazic et al., 2024).
• Molluscicides control slugs and snails (Adomaitis et al., 2022).

Pesticides work in different ways with some interfering with the nervous system, while others affect growth, reproduction, metabolism, or cellular function (Garud et al., 2024). Some pesticides come from natural sources. Pyrethrins, for example, are insecticides derived from chrysanthemum flowers (Hodosan et al., 2023). Other pesticides are synthetic chemicals developed to target specific biological processes (Khan et al., 2023). Whether a pesticide is natural or synthetic does not by itself determine its safety. All pesticides can contribute to toxicity.

A Brief History of Pesticides

Humans have used pesticides for thousands of years. Ancient civilizations used substances such as sulfur and plant extracts to protect crops and stored food (Nwankwo & David, 2025). Later, compounds containing arsenic, copper, mercury, and nicotine were used for pest control (Jayaprakas et al., 2023). During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, advances in chemistry led to increasingly powerful synthetic pesticides. The discovery of insecticidal properties of DDT in 1939 marked an important development in modern pest control (Cardon et al., 2026). Many of the pesticides that were not effective found other uses such as in war or as crowd control measures (Claar et al., 2022). Organophosphates, carbamates, pyrethroids, and other pesticide classes subsequently became widely used in places like home gardens and other argricultural settings (Jayaprakas et al., 2023). This history illustrates an important environmental-health principle: natural does not automatically mean safe, and synthetic does not automatically mean dangerous. Toxicity depends on the substance, dose, route of exposure, duration, and other factors (Gupta et al., 2022).

Pesticides and the Nervous System

Some pesticides affect the nervous system by interfering with chemical signaling (Rodriguez et al., 2025). For example, organophosphate pesticides can inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE), an enzyme that normally breaks down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (Aroniadou-Anderjaska et al., 2023). When AChE is inhibited, acetylcholine can accumulate and cause excessive cholinergic signaling (Aroniadou-Anderjaska et al., 2023). Here are some examples of these concepts. Malathion is an organophosphate insecticide that inhibits AChE (Aroniadou-Anderjaska et al., 2023). Carbaryl is a carbamate insecticide that also inhibits AChE, although its interaction with the enzyme differs from that of organophosphates (Voris et al., 2024). These examples demonstrate why pesticide toxicity depends on the specific chemical and its biological mechanism, not simply on the fact that it is a pesticide.

Pesticides and Chemical-Weapons Research

                                                        Figure 2. Gerhard Schrader, German       

                                                        chemist who synthesized some of                                                                                                                 the most highly toxic compounds such                                                                                                        as Sarin. Source: alchetron.com

Pesticide chemistry also has a historical connection to chemical-weapons research. In the 1930s, German chemist Gerhard Schrader was researching organophosphorus insecticides when his work led to the discovery of highly toxic compounds, including tabun (GA) in 1936 and sarin (GB) in 1938 (Valenzuela-Tapia et al., 2025). These compounds were not simply agricultural pesticides that were repurposed as weapons (Valenzuela-Tapia et al., 2025). Rather, research into potent organophosphorus chemistry led to compounds whose extreme toxicity made them suitable for chemical warfare. Other agents such as a collection of gases known as tear gases also require discussion.

The modern history of tear gas began before World War I, when ethyl bromoacetate was used by French police in 1912; after the war began, the French Army used rifle grenades containing the irritant against German forces beginning in August 1914 (Raue, 2024). These early grenades lacrymogènes (tear gas grenades) were largely ineffective in open battlefield conditions because they delivered too little agent, despite ethyl bromoacetate being highly toxic (Honeyman et al., 2025). During the early months of the war, British forces also investigated or used chemical irritants, including sulfur dioxide, although the historical record distinguishes these early experiments from the large-scale chemical warfare that followed (Honeyman et al., 2025). Germany subsequently employed other irritant agents, while the introduction of chlorine at Ypres in April 1915 marked the beginning of effective large-scale chemical warfare (Honeyman et al., 2025). Modern tear gas, named more precisely as riot-control agents such as 2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile (CS) and related compounds, is used primarily by law-enforcement agencies for crowd control and by militaries for certain training and security applications; exposure produces irritation of the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract and can cause serious injury under sufficiently intense or prolonged exposure (Econdi et al., 2025). This history illustrates the importance of understanding how chemicals interact with biological systems.

                                             Figure 3. Tear gas being deployed by           

                                             ICE agents Minneapolis to control crowds at a federal building.                                                                 Source: ABC7

How Can People Be Exposed?

Using a pesticide does not automatically mean that someone will become sick. Risk depends on the chemical, dose, route, and duration of exposure (Tudi et al., 2022). People can potentially be exposed by breathing contaminated air or dust, getting pesticides on the skin or in the eyes, accidentally swallowing them, touching recently treated surfaces, or bringing contaminated soil or dust indoors (Sahoo et al., 2022). Children and pets may have additional exposure opportunities because they frequently contact floors and other surfaces (Negev et al., 2022). The goal of any alternative to pesticides is therefore not to eliminate every possible pesticide exposure, but to reduce unnecessary exposure while maintaining effective pest control.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

Integrated pest management (IPM) is a strategy for controlling pests while minimizing unnecessary pesticide use (Angon et al., 2023). The basic approach is to identify, monitor, prevent, control, and evaluate (Angon et al., 2023). First, identify the pest because different pests require different solutions, and seeing one insect does not necessarily mean that treatment is needed (Angon et al., 2023). Next, look for ways to prevent the problem. Pests often need food, water, shelter, and access, so removing these resources can make a home less attractive to them (Angon et al., 2023). Prevention may include storing food in sealed containers, cleaning crumbs and spills, fixing leaks, removing standing water, sealing cracks and openings, installing screens and door sweeps, and keeping outdoor areas free of conditions that attract pests (Angon et al., 2023). If prevention is not enough, physical or mechanical controls can sometimes be used (Angon et al., 2023).

If You Need to Use a Pesticide

Sometimes pesticides are necessary. When using pesticides, follow the product label exactly (Barwant et al., 2025). The label specifies where and how the product may be used, how much should be applied, and what precautions are necessary. Use pesticides only for their labeled purpose and only in the amount directed. Do not mix products unless the label specifically permits it, and keep pesticides in their original containers away from children and pets (Mohafrash & Mossa, 2024). Follow instructions concerning ventilation and reentry, wash your hands after handling pesticides, and store and dispose of pesticides according to the label and applicable local requirements (Mondal & Nag, 2022). More pesticide does not mean better pest control; using excessive amounts can increase opportunities for exposure without improving effectiveness (Munoz-Junior et al., 2023).

What About Foggers?

                                             Figure 4. Insecticide fogger. Source:           

                                             Bobvila.com

Total-release foggers, sometimes called bug bombs, release pesticide throughout an enclosed space (Luckyjane et al., 2023). When used incorrectly, they can create unnecessary exposure and may not address the underlying cause of an infestation (Norton, 2024). For example, if insects are entering through cracks, treating an entire room does not eliminate the entry point. A targeted approach may therefore be more appropriate. Precautions for use are generally the same as other pesticide products.

What You Can Do Today

Start by identifying the pest before treating it. Seal cracks and other entry points, store food in closed containers, clean up crumbs and spills, fix leaks, reduce excess moisture, and remove standing water. Try physical or mechanical controls before resorting to widespread pesticide use. If a pesticide is necessary, read the label before using it, use only the amount directed, and keep the product away from children and pets. Good pest management does not require choosing between effective control and environmental health. IPM provides a way to manage pests while reducing unnecessary pesticide use and exposure.

 

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