Also Known As:
fipronil
Fipronil is a broad-spectrum insecticide, used to control cockroaches, ants, fleas, mole crickets, ticks, mites, subterranean termites, and agricultural pests. It is found in flea treatments for cats and dogs, such as Frontline®
, and roach and ant bait traps for indoor use in both residential and commercial settings. Fipronil may also be applied outdoors for ornamentals, lawns and on rice and corn crops.
Fipronil disrupts the insect’s central nervous system and is a suspected endocrine disruptor. It is thought to have a greater impact on insects than mammals, including humans, because it has a greater ability to bind to insect nerves than mammal nerves. Concerns about human exposure to Frontline spray treatment were raised in 1996 by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, due to the risk of chronic inhalation and skin absorption by commercial pet groomers and veterinarians. This led to a denial of registration for the spray product in New York State. In 1999, upon reviewing additional data, the product was registered. Fipronil use in agricultural settings has also raised concerns about harm to bees and other beneficial insects.
Children can be exposed to fipronil by touching treated pets or by opening baits and putting them in their mouths. They could also ingest residues of fipronil by eating foods treated with the pesticide.
Children can inahle fipronil in dust.
Children can ingest it by directly eating the pesticide or by putting their hands in their mouths after touching a contaminated surface. Residues were found in studies on participant’s hands after petting an animal treated with a flea prevention product containing fipronil.
Fipronil is a relatively new chemical approved for use in the United States. The US Environmental Protection Agency first registered it for use in May 1996.
Fipronil: Technical Factsheet. National Pesticide Information Center. January 2009.
Fipronil is very toxic to aquatic life. It can accumulate in the bodies of fish. It is also highly toxic to bees.
Fipronil: Technical Factsheet. National Pesticide Information Center. January 2009.
Fipronil’s breakdown product, fipronil-desulfinyl, is considered 10 times more toxic than fipronil itself.
Cox, Caroline. ”Fipronil.” Journal of Pesticide Reform, Vol. 25, No. 1 (Spring 2005).
Even though fipronil is a relatively new insecticide the Asiatic rice borer, the house fly, the diamondback
moth, and a mosquito have all developed resistance to it.
Cox, Caroline. ”Fipronil.” Journal of Pesticide Reform, Vol. 25, No. 1 (Spring 2005).
Read labels on pesticide products to see what the active ingredients are. You can also use the Household Products Database to find out if a product you use or are considering contains fipronil.
Chose less toxic flea control methods for pets. See Health Threats & Effects: Harmful Pet Products for more information on controlling fleas safely.
Use Integrated Pest Management to control pests on your lawn and in your garden.
"Health Threats & Effects: Harmful Pet Products," Natural Resources Defense Council, October 31, 2000.
http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/qpets.asp
Fipronil: General Factsheet. National Pesticide Information Center. July 2009.
Least Toxic Control of Pests in the Home and Garden. Beyond Pesticides. http://www.beyondpesticides.org/alternatives/factsheets/index.htm.
Cox, Caroline. ”Fipronil.” Journal of Pesticide Reform, Vol. 25, No. 1 (Spring 2005).
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Pesticide Programs
Division Mail Code
1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20460
http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/
Natural Resources Defense Council
40 West 20th Street
New York, NY 10011
Telephone: (212) 727-2700
http://www.nrdc.org/