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United States Environmental Protection Agency
Pesticides: Controlling Pests
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Lawn and Garden

Pests come in a variety of forms: weeds, insects, animals, molds, and fungi to name a few. Pesticides provide relief from many pests, but they are not the only solution to every problem. The need to control outdoor pests varies. Having some weeds in your garden, or some grubs in your lawn, may be more tolerable; however, certain pests present serious threats in some years. Some pests can damage human and animal health, such as mosquitoes that carry diseases.

The most effective strategy for controlling pests may be to combine methods in an approach known as Integrated Pest Management (IPM) that emphasizes preventing pest damage. In IPM, information about pests and available pest control methods is used to manage pest damage with the least possible hazard to people, property, and the environment.

Tip: Check with your state or county Cooperative Extension Service Exit EPA disclaimer to determine what grass varieties and pest management methods are suitable for your climate and growing conditions. Grass varieties and pests vary widely across the U.S. Lawncare professionals may also be able to provide you with information.

Resources:

Healthy Lawn, Healthy Environment: Caring for Your Lawn in an Environmentally Friendly Way (1.70 MB, PDF format, 19 pages) This brochure includes tips on working with nature to grow a health lawn while minimizing the use of pesticides, and more.

"Read the Label FIRST! Protect Your Garden" brochure (0.99 MB, PDF format, 2 pages). Tips for protecting your garden from pests. Other "Read the Label FIRST!" brochures, developed through EPA's Consumer Labeling Initiative (CLI), are available at http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/labeling/campaign.htm.

Citizens Guide to Pest Control and Pesticide Safety - This publication teaches consumers how to: control pests in and around the home with and without pesticides, use, store, and dispose of them safely, reduce exposure when others use pesticides, prevent pesticide poisoning, handle a pesticide emergency, choose a pest control company and more. (2.4 MB, PDF format)

Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA) and Its Use as a Wood Preservative - CCA, also known as Wolmanized wood, is used to prevent wood decay in items such as decks, fences and playground equipment.

The Pesticides and Mosquito Control fact sheets answer common questions on health and environmental concerns for pesticides used in mosquito control.

"Join Our Pest Patrol: A Backyard Activity Book for Kids on Integrated Pest Management" is filled with information about pests and pest control options. "Join our Pest Patrol" helps children understand the impact our personal choices--like whether or not to use chemicals to control pests--can have on the environment.

Concerning conservation practices in gardening:

Note: To order printed versions of these publications online, contact the National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP) at http://www.epa.gov/ncepihom/ordering.htm, telephone at 1-800-490-9198 or by fax at 1-513-489-8695.

 

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