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It's got me worried, How about you..?

It's got me worried, How about you..?

Old Oct 14th 2004, 3:25 am
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Default It's got me worried, How about you..?

Anyone else here concerned about the amount of pesticides, chemicals, termite treatments etc.. that seems to be used here???
It seems to be used in such huge quantities here.....
I know everyone has a choice whether or not to use it, but I know many people, (Pommies, other nationality migrants and also Aussies..) who tell me they get their house/property professionally spray treated at least once a year, some even every three months..! (and still buy sprays from Coles to use in between themselves....!)
I do realise that in some instances it IS really necessary, as with the climate here insects, bugs breed like wildfire..! But if it kills insects for up to SIX months after being sprayed (it leaves a residual action,which is absorbed through the "skin" of insects etc and poisons them) and also works by interrupting the breeding cycle of some insects (it causes fleas to become infertile) then surely there must be some acculumative effect on us, or our children? Esspecially when many children crawl/play on the floor and areas which are frequently treated with these chemicals?
Now I figure that, even if I choose NOT to have my house treated, (and suffer the consequenses...ants, spiders,cockroaches,siverfish etc...) because I am concerned about the accumulative and long term effect of it, on me and my family's health, surely all the stuff that everyone else is spraying around is eventually going to end up in the ground, water supplies etc, and so into the food chain, drinking water and eventually into all of us, whether intentionally or not...?
Even if I don't spray, I know that my childrens' Kindergarten is sprayed, and the children there are always playing on the floor or hiding etc, in the corners of the room.....
Does anyone else have any views on this?
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Old Oct 14th 2004, 3:33 am
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Default Re: It's got me worried, How about you..?

Yes this has worried me too. I won't use the spray to get rid of the cockroaches in the house because my baby is still crawling around on the floor. Don't think that there is anything we can do about other people using it though!
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Old Oct 14th 2004, 3:42 am
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Smile Re: It's got me worried, How about you..?

There's far fewer chemicals used now than there used to be. We had our first house here sprayed for termites (like everyone else did)...8 months later hubby got cancer. The day we got back from the hospital there was a program on about how one of the chemicals used in termite sprays 'may' cause cancer about 8 months after using it!!!!!!!! Needless to say it was the last time we sprayed. Don't worry, hubby is still alive and kicking and annoying!

What I hate now that these chemicals have been banned, is all the chemicals used on fruit & vegies. It's systemic so you can't even wash it off, can't afford organic for a family of 6 even if it was sold in the shops. I tried growing my own....but the sodding possums ate it all!
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Old Oct 14th 2004, 6:50 am
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Default Re: It's got me worried, How about you..?

Waite!!!


We came here July having not sold the house. It still hasn't sold and its been on the market since March.

We don't have a bottomless pit of money.

Do you want to take a gamble like that?

Mandy
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Old Oct 14th 2004, 9:15 pm
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Default Re: It's got me worried, How about you..?

Originally Posted by ezzie
There's far fewer chemicals used now than there used to be. We had our first house here sprayed for termites (like everyone else did)...8 months later hubby got cancer. The day we got back from the hospital there was a program on about how one of the chemicals used in termite sprays 'may' cause cancer about 8 months after using it!!!!!!!! Needless to say it was the last time we sprayed. Don't worry, hubby is still alive and kicking and annoying!

What I hate now that these chemicals have been banned, is all the chemicals used on fruit & vegies. It's systemic so you can't even wash it off, can't afford organic for a family of 6 even if it was sold in the shops. I tried growing my own....but the sodding possums ate it all!
OMG! ezzie, really sorry to hear about your hubby, it must have been an awful time for you. But, REALLY HAPPY he's o.k now! It does make you think though, doesn't it........?
Yep, agree with you about the fruit and veggies. we can't afford organic very often either, I think it's more expensive over here, and definately not as readily available as it is in U.K.
I am, as we speak, trying to grow some stuff myself in our rather small backyard, don't think we've got any visiting possums, but we do have just about every other creature in there, so wish me luck!!!
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Old Oct 14th 2004, 9:44 pm
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Default Re: It's got me worried, How about you..?

Originally Posted by Mummy
Yes this has worried me too. I won't use the spray to get rid of the cockroaches in the house because my baby is still crawling around on the floor. Don't think that there is anything we can do about other people using it though!
Hi Mummy!
Yes, this is what first alerted me to this whole issue.....
When we first arrived, we had to set about clearing the house of crawlies (we couldn't afford a new house, so we bought a renovator which had been left in a disgusting state and was infested with cockroaches, ants, spiders and loads of other unmentionables...!) So we booked to have it professionally treated. I didn't know exactly what this would entail...
When they turned up, dressed in protective gear like something out of "Ghostbusters" and started spraying these chemicals all around the edges of every room, (just where my youngest used to crawl!) I started to wonder.....
I asked them if it was safe to use with children in the house, and was told "just to keep them out of the way untill the fumes die down, about 1hr" (although the chemical would continue killing the bugs for another 3 months...?)
I told them they could leave the rest of the house untreated, paid them, and they went. I think they thought I was a bit of a crank, but what the hell!!!
I then spent the next week, scrubbing and washing down everywhere which had been sprayed!!!!!!
When we replaced the kitchen, we seemed to get rid of most of the cockies with it, so we don't have such a problem now. And I use loads of Citronella, Lavender, and Tea Tree oils around the house now, it seems to keep most bugs at bay! (they don't like the smell, and it won't kill the kids.... ) If anyone else knows of any other remedies, which are not harmful, please let us know...............???
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Old Oct 14th 2004, 9:59 pm
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Default Re: It's got me worried, How about you..?

oops! sorry i replied to the wrong thread

Mandy
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Old Oct 14th 2004, 10:26 pm
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Default Re: It's got me worried, How about you..?

Originally Posted by scrawni
oops! sorry i replied to the wrong thread

Mandy
Well you confused the hell out of me
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Old Oct 14th 2004, 10:30 pm
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Default Re: It's got me worried, How about you..?

Originally Posted by moneypen20
Well you confused the hell out of me
I thought all the sprays had got to mandy already
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Old Oct 15th 2004, 2:05 am
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Smile Re: It's got me worried, How about you..?

On cockroach deterents, I think you use borax...can't quite remember what you add to it though - basically they eat it & die. Now termites I know about...we're surrounded by them (pity the possums don't eat them, at least then they'd be useful and have full stomachs!)
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Old Oct 15th 2004, 2:24 am
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Default Re: It's got me worried, How about you..?

Very strange the attitude the Aussies have to this sort of thing - The Bloke walks round in bare feet all the time, so when he's put surface spray down to zap the roaches, he is walking in it, then he'll get into bed or whatever with it on his feet. He'll put fruit in a bowl on the work surface, let ants run all over it then eat it unwashed.....
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Old Oct 15th 2004, 2:33 am
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Smile Re: It's got me worried, How about you..?

Urghhh!!!! I'd make him trot through a personal 'sheep dip' of disinfectant before letting him climb into bed.

Originally Posted by Pollyana
Very strange the attitude the Aussies have to this sort of thing - The Bloke walks round in bare feet all the time, so when he's put surface spray down to zap the roaches, he is walking in it, then he'll get into bed or whatever with it on his feet. He'll put fruit in a bowl on the work surface, let ants run all over it then eat it unwashed.....
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Old Oct 15th 2004, 2:36 am
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Default Re: It's got me worried, How about you..?

Originally Posted by ezzie
Now termites I know about...we're surrounded by them (pity the possums don't eat them, at least then they'd be useful and have full stomachs!)
termites.. most of the newer homes have a physical barrier , terimesh etc on the slab. You don't normally chemically treat for the prevention of termites in newer homes . You just keep check, ie a termite inspector out each year to keep check if you are termite free. And you keep your slab, ie close to the house clear of plants and soil, so you can inspect the perimeter of your building slab for mud tunnels.. The pine they use to build the frames is normally treated pine, and not supposed to be likable to termites etc.

No termite prevention is 100% guaranteed. I think it is one in four or three homes that get some sort of termite infestation ( in South East QLD) . We had termites in one previous rental, the house was sold, and we were moving out at the time . The termites were in the wooden window frames ( the only part of the home that was wooden) . What had happened, there was a "pergola" on the side of the house, the termites had come up through the wooden stakes of the pergola and into the window frame of the home.

Pesticides are too often used here, especially on the gardens, from weed killers etc etc. Older homes are probably going to have to be treated for some things when you move in.

I never use pesticides myself - I don't have a cockroach prob, I think my spiders are keeping them down, and my cats keep the poor spiders down in the house.. I've got keep rescuing the poor b*ggers.

Ants eat termites ( also birds) - same home we had termites, when we were moving out we lifted a wooden crate which was on the ground outside for some time , and it was rotten through, underneath there were termites... millions of them. When they were exposed, out came millions of ants and grabbed the termites to eat.. seems it is one of their fav foods.

A while back, there was an old bloke on TV showing off his invention - just a wooden block that was on hinges- ie you open the block to look in the middle of the wood, this you lay a few around your garden well away from your home.. say at the bottom of your garden and just check on it now and again, open the wood up to see if there are any termites. If there are, you can get the area treated before it reaches the house ( if it hasn't already) . Simple idea.. nothing fancy just blocks of wood which are sandwiched together, and can be opened up to look in the middle of it from time to time. you could whip them up in two seconds

cheers

Last edited by Ceri; Oct 15th 2004 at 2:48 am.
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Old Oct 15th 2004, 2:56 am
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Default Re: It's got me worried, How about you..?

Originally Posted by ezzie
Urghhh!!!! I'd make him trot through a personal 'sheep dip' of disinfectant before letting him climb into bed.
Wish I could, but he just looks at me as if I'm mad, and he can't see my point of view at all. Keeps asking me why I refuse to walk round in bare feet......
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Old Oct 15th 2004, 6:06 am
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Default Re: It's got me worried, How about you..?

Originally Posted by Pollyana
Very strange the attitude the Aussies have to this sort of thing - The Bloke walks round in bare feet all the time, so when he's put surface spray down to zap the roaches, he is walking in it, then he'll get into bed or whatever with it on his feet. He'll put fruit in a bowl on the work surface, let ants run all over it then eat it unwashed.....
Hi Pollyanna!
Know what you mean about the barefoot bit...........
I'm always amazed at the amount of people, including young children with their parents, walking around the shopping malls BAREFOOT! (Got knows what's been sprayed around there..........???!!)
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