Deet. Evil deet. Why on earth would we want to put this poison on our skin? Yet it’s the main ingredient found in so many insect repellents that millions of us use each summer. We spray them on ourselves, our kids, our pets. I wonder what damage we could be doing with the DEET and other toxic chemicals.
Even the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends washing it off after returning indoors. They tell us to avoid breathing it in and not to spray it directly on the face. Hmm…. The EPA also shows DEET as harmful to our environment. It’s ”slightly” toxic to birds, fish and aquatic invertebrates. Slightly toxic…is that like being a “little pregnant?”
Get the facts. The activist group Beyond Pesticides keeps its own list of documented DEET health and environmental effects:
- Cancer: Not documented
- Endocrine Disruption: Not documented
- Reproductive Effects: Not documented
- Neurotoxicity: Yes
- Kidney/Liver Damage: Yes
- Sensitizer/Irritant: Yes
- Birth/Developmental Defects: Yes
- Detected in Groundwater: Yes
- Potential Leacher: Yes
- Toxic to Birds: Not documented
- Toxic to Fish/Aquatic Organisms: Not documented
- Toxic to Bees: Not documented
Luckily, we don’t have to poison ourselves (or smell like deet!) just to keep those skeeters from biting! Check them out.
The Daily Green recommends seven products to consider.
Grist has tested some deet-free repellents for us!
You can also create your own repellent with essential oils of Citronella, Cedarwood, Peppermint, and Lemongrass. You’ll say “see ya, skeeters” and smell great too!
