How Can You Control Pests Without Diazinon or Chlorpyrifos?
Physical barriers, soaps and oils, biological controls (introduction of pest predators or pest-targeting microbes), and cultural controls (good housekeeping and gardening practices) are always preferable to chemical pesticides. In situations where a pesticide is necessary, however, the best products for the environment are less toxic and less persistent. Alternative chemical pesticides are available, but simply substituting another poison for diazinon or chlorpyrifos won’t necessarily help the environment. Studies show that the most commonly used pesticides are the ones most likely to cause water quality problems. This is true for the heavily used organophosphates, and it may very well be true for these active ingredients in other common pesticides as well: • Malathion: Many products formulated with diazinon or chlorpyrifos are being replaced by products formulated with malathion, which is already frequently detected in urban waterways. • Carbaryl: According to a recent government repo
