Complaints to pest control firms about bedbugs have tripled in 4 years. (Photo courtesy of the CDC)
The US is suffering through a
resurgence of bedbugs and the itchy
welts their bites cause. So now,
some health officials are asking
the Federal EPA to bring back an
old pesticide. Bill Cohen reports:
Transcript
The US is suffering through a
resurgence of bedbugs and the itchy
welts their bites cause. So now,
some health officials are asking
the Federal EPA to bring back an
old pesticide. Bill Cohen reports:
Complaints to pest control firms about bedbugs have tripled in 4 years.
Two reasons. More people are scavenging infested mattresses thrown out on the street. Plus, the bugs are getting resistant to current pesticides.
That’s why Ohio is asking the feds to let home exterminators use propoxur. Red tape and questions over possible side effects like nausea shelved the pesticide years ago, but local health official Paul Wenning fears, without it, frustrated itchy homeowners will turn to more dangerous weapons to fight the bugs.
“Our greatest fear is that someone is going to get ahold of some old pesticide – like DDT or something – are going to treat their house, and we’re going to have a lot of very sick and possibly dead people.”
Ohio expects other states will join the drive to bring back propoxur.
For The Environment Report, I’m Bill Cohen.
