The Scotts Company sells the popular line of pesticides Ortho Home Defense MAX as well as Roundup. They produce everything from bug killers to rodent control products to Scotts Miracle Grow.

Roundup is a popular herbicide that is used to kill weeds.  It is effective because it travels from the above ground portion of the plant into the roots and then kills the roots. The active ingredient is Glyphosate, which is also present in similar products.  You need to be very careful in using this product because of all the injuries that have resulted. The Bugman recently talked about this chemical’s problems.

“Glyphosate is a non-selective herbicide that will kill almost all plants it comes in contact with, including annual, biennial and perennial grasses, broadleaf and woody plants. The chemical is sprayed on the leaves, where it is absorbed and translocated through the entire plant. Roundup is non-selective, so it kills many kinds of plants, and can drift to unintended plants and harm or kill them.

There are concerns of irreversible damage to plants, beneficial insects and animals, and water contamination due to Roundup. Glyphosate itself is very low in toxicity to mammals, including humans, but it contains a surfactant known as polyethoxylated tallowamine (POEA) that is very toxic…”

Roundup is responsible for a high number of poisoning reports within California, probably because it is so popular. In 1998, California’s Department of Pesticide Regulation concluded that glyphosate ranks first among herbicides as the highest cause of pesticide-induced illnesses or injuries to people in California. Common symptoms of glyphosate poisoning include eye soreness, headaches, diarrhea, nausea, sore throat, gastrointestinal injury, and other flu-like symptoms. Long term toxicity is being probed.

This study from the Centre for Agriculture and Environment stated that Glyphosate or Roundup is absorbed by plants and is rapidly translocated. Residues of the pesticide have been found in fruits and vegetables, long after it has been applied. Lettuce, carrots and other vegetables contained trace levels of Roundup a year after it had been applied according to Caroline Cox, staff scientist for the NCAP (Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides) and editor of the Journal of Pesticide Reform.

Time to eat organic fruits and vegetables.

Roundup is used extensively in farming.  There are even Roundup Ready genetically engineered seeds that are immune to Roundup’s effects. Roundup’s owner, Monsanto takes legal action against farmers who even unknowingly plant contaminated seeds. Mother nature never sits still. Years of its use has lead to Roundup resistant weeds.
Genetically modified crops have escaped at least six times in the past per a GAO Report in 2008, causing over 1 billion dollars in losses to rice farmers. A new genetically modified corn, Enogen, that is used to create ethanol has been approved and may cause further contamination. A single kernel in 10,000 unmodified kernels can cause corn to become liquefied and soggy.

94% of cotton is genetically modified as is 93% of soybeans, 90% of canola, and 88% of corn. Roughly 70 – 80% of processed food made in the United States includes genetically engineered ingredients. People against this state that research has shown that health problems including allergies, organ damage are caused by these ingredients.

Over use of Glyphosate has lead to an 81% decline in the Monarch Butterfly population.

Genetically Modified (GMO) crop problems

These genetically modified seeds have resulted in even stronger super weeds that are resistant to Roundup. In September 2012, the EPA commented in response to a study that found western corn root worms that were resistant to an insecticide produced by Monsanto’s special corn seeds. This has caused the chemical companies to push using a 1940′s era pesticide called 2,4-D. So the war is escalating, and over time we will probably see weeds to resistant to this chemical.

In 2013, corn farmers found that genetically modified seeds designed to protect corn from insects, were not working anymore. Farmers were forced to go back to using chemicals to battle insects. Soil insecticides are being used again to handle pests such as the root worm. Using genetically modified seeds didn’t solve the pest problem very long.

Ortho Home Defense Max

One of the more popular products sold at places like Home Depot is Ortho Home Defense MAX Perimeter & Indoor Insect Killer – “Kills bugs inside, keeps bugs out!” – It comes in a convenient 2 gal. Pull ‘N Spray so you can zap insects any time. “For long lasting residual control leave spray undisturbed. The product will keep killing for up to 12 months.”

You can to email or call for Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) or find it online elsewhere.

Active Ingredients is listed as 0.05% Bifenthrin (MSDS)- It is virtually insoluble in water so it has high persistence in soil (half life = 7 days – 8 months) and consequently it is one of the longest residual termiticide, which can be good or bad. It is highly toxic to fish and aquatic arthropods, so it should not be used where it can affect them.

Australia has some analysis of the chemical showing that toxic to mammals. Australia suggests using more Integrated Pest Management.

Problems with Pesticide Runoff

This article echos the main concern that this pesticide flows into water systems through runoff into storm drains, causing problems for aquatic species.
“High levels of pyrethroid pesticides in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, the number one river system on America’s Most Endangered Rivers List of 2009, has been linked to heavy urbanization in the region.”
If you are going to use this pesticide, please do not over use it and do not use it in areas that will drain to the sewer during watering or rain season.

A 2010 San Francisco Estuary Institute report found that urban runoff was more toxic than rural. Heavy loads of mercury and PCBs flowed into the Bay from culverts and creeks carrying storm water.

In August 2011, Roundup pesticide resistant pests were found in Northern Iowa. Monsanto sells genetically-modified corn seeds that are resistant to their Roundup pesticide. These insect-proof crops make farming much easier by allowing farmers to grow the same crop year after year. This violates a basic tenet of pest management, which states that using one method year after year gives pests an opportunity to adapt. Scientists now say that Roundup resistant superweeds have spread to more than 20 states. Monsanto was listed as the worst company of 2011.

The government requires that farmers who plant genetically-modified corn, plant as much as 20% non-modified corn on their farm. Some farms are allowed to plant as little as 5%, possibly leading to other problems.

If you must use Roundup, follow its directions carefully and apply it to a very small area.

Alternative Eco Friendly Green Pesticides

Herbicides should not be necessary for every garden. Physical weed management techniques such as mulching digging up weeds can be very effective. Eco friendly green pesticides include:  mechanical removal, suppression with mulches, or maybe spraying with vinegar. If you must use an herbicide try to stick to the least toxic ones that utilize non-poisonous ingredients including clove oils and soaps.

Orange Guard is an eco friendly green insecticide. Alternatives to Home Defense Max: Natural insecticides like Pyrethrum from Chrysanthemum plants (Details), may be better that these chemicals.

Our other articles cover green termite pest control and green indoor pest control.

Almost everyone has to deal with pests.  Whether indoor or outdoors, we need to think about eco friendly pest control or green alternatives to toxic pesticides and insecticides.

The Bugman had a great list of things to do to help prevent pests. Some of the best tips:

• Check your outside doors. If you can see light coming in from under the door or you can slide a piece of paper under the door, a bug can crawl in. You may want to install door sweeps or thresholds to keep them out.
• Check for openings around pipes and cables that penetrate an outside wall and seal any you find. These are excellent places for ants and wasps to enter.
• Make sure all of your screens are in good repair and that the doors and windows close properly.
• Install hardware cloth on all attic, roof and crawl space vents in order to prevent rodents and insects from entering. If you have a chimney, make sure you have a chimney cap.
• Keep debris away from the building as this will attract all sorts of insects, spiders, centipedes and rodents.
• Go around the building periodically with a broom and knock down any spider webs. Spiders will not stay in an area where they are continually harassed.
• If you have playground equipment, make sure you plug up the ends of the pipes on the equipment to prevent wasps from setting up housekeeping in them.
• Do not leave outside lights on any longer than necessary. Lights attract a number of bugs and all sorts of things that eat bugs.
• Cut back any branches on trees or shrubs that touch the facility. Ants will often use the limbs of trees and shrubs to gain access to buildings.
• Keep flies away by hanging a zipped block bag half filled with water on your doors or windows that get sunlight. This will confuse the flies.
• Keep rabbits and other small animals away by hanging CDs. This will confuse the animals.
• Yellow Corn Meal spread around the base of plants will control cut-worms.

Less-toxic chemicals for Eco Friendly Pest Control include:

• Borates or boric acid, diatomaceous earth (DE), insecticidal soaps, horticultural oils.  Diatomaceous earth absorbs the waxy layer of insects causing them to dry out and die.  Put it under wood piles, stones, and other hiding area.  Mix it with water to make a barrier around the home.
• Baking soda can be sprinkled inside and outside your home and around. Food areas to repel ants and cockroaches.
• Neem Oil repels mosquitoes, biting flies, fleas, and ticks
• Rosemary in a powder form is used as a flea and tick repellent for pets.
• Salt water will kill snails and slugs and can also deter termites and cockroaches when used in crawlspaces or other access areas.
• Sugar can be used as a bait along with yeast and molasses to exterminate ants.
• Soap can kill insects when mixed with water and alcohol. Use 20% dish soap, 40% alcohol, and the balance, water, to create an effective insect spray.

Our Water Our World has a great free guide to a Healthy Home and Garden. It was funded by California’s State Water Resources Control Board.

Some key items I learned from this book include:

1. Try to use INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM) to control pests. “With IPM, the focus is  on preventing pest problems through healthy gardening practices and avoiding the use of  chemicals when they are not really needed”
2. Ask a Master gardener like the ones at UC Davis.
3. Many pesticides are very toxic to our water supplies.
4. How to control weeds without chemicals

Scotts Miracle-Gro is huge in the lawn and gardening area. They make lots of pesticides like Roundup, and Home Defense MAX we looked at recently. A recent WSJ article highlights there push into more greener pastures and covers how they test products in garden labs.

They are testing Canadian thistle fungus has a herbicide to wipe out weeds. Scotts recently introduced Ortho® EcoSense™ Brand Indoor Insect Killer, which uses soybean oil, we will analyze it next. Their Kill & Contain mouse trade does not use poisons. New “Water Smart” EZ Seed contains coconut fiber that helps grass use less water. Their Ecosense fire-ant bait uses natural soil-dwelling bacterium called Spinosad.

All these products are a step in the right direction away from highly toxic synthetic chemicals.

Roundup Pro, a strong insecticide that is used commercially,  is even being used in the middle of a forest in the Woodside area of California. We were a bit shocked to see this sign in the middle of a hiking trail.

Ortho EcoSense Insecticides

Scotts Miracle-Gro has launched the Ortho EcoSense Brand of Insecticides. Having seen all the chemical laden Ortho products in Home Depot, I was surprised to see this. Let’s examine how green this is. Looking at one featured product:

Ortho EcoSense Brand Indoor Insect Killer Aerosol web page states that it is safe to use inside the home and uses 100% natural soybean oil as its active ingredient. Material Safety Data Sheets must be requested from them. We dug one up here.

Ingredients include: Water 40-70%, Soybean oil 18.75%, Polyglyceryl oleate 3-7%, Lauric acid 3-7%, Sodium Caprylate 1-5%, Sodium Benzoate 0.1-1%

Potential health effects:
Eye contact: May cause slight irritation.
Skin contact: Irritation not expected.
Ingestion: Considered practically non-toxic.
Inhalation: May cause irritation of respiratory tract.

Looking at the Cosmetic Safety Database:

Lauric Acid, Sodium Caprylate, Sodium Benzoate – Has some interesting alerts.

This product is far from being really green but is a step in the right direction.

Here is a more green pesticide recipe.

Eliminating Gophers
Gophers can be a nuisance in your garden. A tell-tale sign that you have gophers are mounds of loose dirt in your yard. There are many chemicals and traps that are available. A more eco-friendly way to get rid of gophers is to pour a smelly liquid such as fish oil into their tunnel system.

Eliminating rats
Rats can be a major pain both inside the home and out. One eco-friendly way to control pests is to attract predators such as owls. San Rafael, California installed owl boxes, mounted on 10 foot posts, to attract owls. These proved effective in controlling rats, more so than poison. Poison affects everything in the food chain including animals like lions, dear, squirrels, which may feast on dead rats.

Be sure to read our article Green Termite Pest Control