Flea and tick collars contain a TOXIC chemical that can damage kids' brains

By ramontomeydw // 2022-11-11

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Flea and tick collars help address external parasites in pets, but they reportedly contain a toxic chemical that can cause neurological damage in children. According to NaturalHealth365, this chemical in pet collars to watch out for is called tetrachlorvinphos (TCVP). The toxic substance belongs to a class of chemicals known as organophosphates. First created as nerve agents after World War II, most organophosphates were banned for household use after reports of their health risks emerged in 1996. In spite of this, TCVP has remained a common component of popular flea and tick collars. TCVP is not the only chemical to watch our for, however. Pet collars also contain harmful pesticides such as imidacloprid and flumethrin. One such pet collar brand is Seresto, developed by Bayer and introduced in the market in 2012. A March 2021 piece by the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting stated that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) received at least 1,698 reports of pet deaths since the product hit the shelves. (Related: Popular flea collar linked to thousands of pet deaths, reveals new report.) It added that the EPA also received about 4,600 incident reports, including 363 pet deaths, linked to pet collars containing TCVP between 1992 and 2008. A study conducted during the Obama administration revealed that high exposure to TCVP makes children more susceptible to developing attention disorders, lower IQ, delayed mental development and autism. It stated that flea and tick collars for pets are the main source of TCVP exposure among children. Moreover, the EPA has not reviewed TCVP since 2006 – despite the agency being mandated to re-evaluate and re-approve chemicals every 15 years. This led to the Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC) petitioning the EPA to ban the chemical.

EPA bans TCVP-laden pet collars 13 years after filing of original petition to do so

The EPA finally responded to the NRDC's plea in late October 2022 – 13 years after the petition was first filed. It announced a ban on the sale of flea and tick collars with TCVP, though it is difficult to say how long before such a prohibition takes effect given the EPA's slow response. The agency said it will publish a regulation called a Notice of Intent to Cancel, which explains its plan to prohibit the sale of TCVP-laden flea and tick collars. The regulation will also be opened to public comment, it continued. NRDC attorney Pete DeMarco, however, said that it remains unclear how long will it take until the products are removed from the market. "It's not a quick process," he remarked. According to DeMarco, the EPA "very rarely" takes an adversarial process when banning a product. It usually negotiates a voluntary cancellation with the product's makers instead – in this case, pet collar manufacturer Hartz. Nevertheless, the attorney emphasized that NRDC would monitor the process: "[The] EPA said they may re-evaluate this decision based on new information, but we're going to remain vigilant to ensure EPA protects kids and pet owners." NRDC senior scientist Miriam Rotkin Ellman lauded the EPA's decision as "great news," but lamented: "It's unfortunate that it took this long." For the meantime, there are natural solutions for fleas and ticks that prey on household pets. Citrus fruits such as lemons and oranges get rid of nasty fleas, while essential oils such as geranium oil help repel ticks. Regular bathing and brushing can also contribute to diminishing these external parasites. Watch this video about natural ways to repel fleas and ticks on pets, without being exposed to toxic TCVP. This video is from the SHTFPrepping101 channel on Brighteon.com.

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EPA bans TCVP-laden pet collars 13 years after filing of original petition to do so

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