Prevent toxic pesticides from entering our waterways

The Issue

Fipronil and imidacloprid are pesticides that are commonly found in topical flea and tick treatments. These pesticides effectively kill pests like fleas and ticks, but also harm wildlife.

Topical treatment info-graphic Topical treatments used for preventing fleas and ticks like spot-on treatments and collars can easily spread around your home by rubbing off onto your hands, floors, furniture, bedding, and clothes. After washing these surfaces or your pet, the chemicals wash down the drain to a wastewater treatment plant. Many of these pesticides cannot be removed with wastewater treatment so they end up in our waterways where they harm wildlife. Furthermore, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation is currently reviewing the use of these chemicals regarding potential human health risks from prolonged exposure inside the household.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

There are plenty of actions you can take to replace topical flea and tick treatments containing fipronil and imidacloprid – pesticides known to enter waterways and pose a risk to wildlife. Choose what is right for your pets, for you and the environment.

Controlling Fleas and Ticks in Your Home
Talk to your vet about Oral Treatment to control fleas and ticks on your pet	Chewable treatments are just as effective as topically applied options. Oral medications are sold as prescription chewables or pills that act throughout the whole body rather than only on the surface of your pet’s skin and fur, meaning they don’t wash down the drain and enter our waterways. By using oral medications, you can prevent the environmental health risks of topicals and other external treatments. Every pet is different. Talk to your vet about whether oral medications are best for you and your pet.
Practice Integrated pest management (IPM) for your household	Integrated Pest Management (IPM), according to the CDC, simply means (1) don’t attract pests, (2) keep them out, and (3) get rid of them if you have them with the safest, most effective methods. By using a comprehensive approach to prevent and remove pests, you can choose to reduce the use of pesticides and use them only in ways that won’t harm wildlife. Though some of the same medications can be used for fleas and ticks, the IPM techniques can be a little different. Here are some of the tools in the IPM toolkit that do not require chemicals that harm the environment:
	IPM for Fleas: Frequent cleaning of your home is necessary to remove fleas at all stages of their life cycle – from egg to adult. Focus cleaning and vacuuming to places where your pet sleeps or spends a lot of time, like their favorite areas of carpet and pet bedding. Vacuuming upholstered furniture and rugs and washing bedding and clothing will also help remove pests. These actions are especially important because only about 5% of fleas are in their adult stage on your pet! IPM techniques like washing and vacuuming of surfaces frequently in contact with your pet are some of the most important tools for combatting fleas at all stages of their lifecycle. If your pet gets fleas, you can cheaply incorporate sprays or shampoos and flea combs to manage an infestation. Ask your vet for recommendations. If you think your home has an infestation, making flea traps by using soapy water and a small lamp can help determine the location and size of infestations to help you focus your efforts where they can be most effective and reduce the chances of harming wildlife.
	IPM for Ticks: Thoroughly inspect yourself and your pets for ticks after time outdoors, especially after time in grassy and wooded areas. After returning home, you can help stop the spread even more by showering within 2 hours of returning and tumble-drying clothes for 10 minutes at high heat. If you do find a tick on you or your pet, you can follow these steps for removal from your pet or from yourself, disposal, and what to do afterwards. Learning more about tick-borne disease risks, prevention, and treatment can help keep your pets healthy and your home free of pests. Maintaining a yard free of tall grass and clutter can remove potential homes of ticks and keep your property free of ticks. A 3-foot buffer of no plants between your yard and wooded areas will also help prevent tick migration into your yard.
Avoid treatments that contain fipronil or imidacloprid	Topical spot-on treatments that use chemicals that harm wildlife and remain in the environment for a long time: fipronil, imidacloprid, indoxacarb, bifenthrin, deltamethrin, and permethrin. Look for less environmentally harmful alternatives like those containing selamectin. Sprays, foggers, and “bug bombs” should also be avoided if possible. These wide-broadcast treatments spread pesticides throughout your home and afterwards their residue on surfaces in your home can end up in the environment. Furthermore, if not used properly, they can have limited effectiveness against fleas.

Key Takeaways

Avoid flea and tick treatments that contain fipronil or imidacloprid to keep the Bay ecosystem healthy and thriving for years to come.
Consult your vet to find out if using oral medication is right for you and your pet.
Practice IPM by pairing physical prevention measures and behaviors with oral flea and tick medications.
Never toss pet medications or treatments down the drain or flush them down the toilet. Dispose of unused pet medication safely and properly at medicine drop-off bins or the County household hazardous waste center.

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Prevent toxic pesticides from entering our waterways

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