Pyrethroids — just because we can use them at home doesn’t mean that they’re harmless

The document details the risks of pyrethroids, a dominant class of insecticides used in homes and agriculture. It highlights their role as neurotoxins that can cause acute symptoms like tremors and long-term effects including neurodevelopmental issues in children, reduced human fertility, and potential carcinogenicity. Environmentally, pyrethroids are toxic to fish and beneficial insects like bees. The briefing notes that in Québec, these chemicals have been detected in surface and ground waters, yet they are excluded from mandatory drinking water monitoring. It advocates for non-chemical alternatives and stricter regulation.

• Children are particularly vulnerable to pyrethroids due to their developing bodies and behaviors; a Canadian study found that "97% of children have at least one detectable pyrethroid metabolite in their urine", with higher concentrations linked to behavioral problems.
• Chronic exposure to pyrethroids may impair human fertility by acting as endocrine disruptors that decrease testosterone levels, alter thyroid function, and cause "decreased sperm count and sperm mobility, and DNA damage".
• Pyrethroids pose significant risks to aquatic life and beneficial insects; all tested pyrethroids are "toxic, or highly toxic, to fish", and they are suspected of contributing to the "worldwide decline of bee populations".
• In Québec, pyrethroids have been detected in surface waters of agricultural regions and in aquifers, yet they are not among the "31 pesticides which must be tested in large Québec municipalities" for drinking water.
• The toxicity of pyrethroids can be significantly increased when mixed with other chemicals; for example, combinations of organophosphorus compounds and pyrethroids can increase toxicity to fish by "140-170% ".

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (n.d.). Pyrethroids — just because we can use them at home doesn’t mean that they’re harmless. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/1.Backgrounder-–-Pyrethroids-just-because-we-can-use-them-at-home-doesn’t-mean-they’re-harmless.pdf#new_tab

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Pyrethroids — just because we can use them at home doesn’t mean that they’re harmless. n.d. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/1.Backgrounder-–-Pyrethroids-just-because-we-can-use-them-at-home-doesn’t-mean-they’re-harmless.pdf#new_tab.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=Pyrethroids — just because we can use them at home doesn’t mean that they’re harmless |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/1.Backgrounder-–-Pyrethroids-just-because-we-can-use-them-at-home-doesn’t-mean-they’re-harmless.pdf#new_tab |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironmentndpyrethroids, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{Pyrethroids — just because we can use them at home doesn’t mean that they’re harmless}}, institution = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/1.Backgrounder-–-Pyrethroids-just-because-we-can-use-them-at-home-doesn’t-mean-they’re-harmless.pdf#new_tab}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }