Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate that is used to kill insects and other pests . This complex pesticide works by attacking and interrupting the nervous processes of insects and animals. As the chemical accumulates in the body, it eventually leads to paralysis and death of the animal or insect in question. That is why these types of chemicals are used in agriculture as pesticides. They are extremely effective and can be highly toxic to mammals, including humans, in high enough doses.
More than 60 million acres of crops are sprayed annually in the United States to address pest problems. Typically used in aerosol form, these chemicals can kill a wide variety of agricultural and garden pests. Professional exterminators use chlorpyrifos and other organophosphates to eliminate pests such as termites and cockroaches in both institutional and residential areas.
Many people also use them to protect their lawn from a variety of insects. However, because pesticides can be lethal in large enough doses, pesticide companies issue strict safety guidelines. They always advise people to ensure that both children and pets stay away from the lawn being treated for a certain time until the spray has taken effect. Because both household pets and children have lower body weights, these chemicals can be more adversely affected.
Although you can still use chlorpyrifos in certain circumstances, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wanted to protect not only children and household pets, but also marine animals from the adverse effects of these chemicals. Therefore, due to these environmental concerns, certain brands of chemicals were gradually withdrawn from general use in late 2002.
