This weekend my family took some time, to do some yard work. I began working on the flower beds in front of the house and Sherman worked on the yard, garage and the retaining wall. Though the work took all day and was more of a pain than should have been, the outcome looks very nice. As much work as I put into the flower bed, it had better look AMAZING in a month!
As we were wrapping up our day of hard work the dreaded mosquitos began to appear and slowly irritate and annoy us. It was at that moment I realized summer is just around the corner!
Summer and mosquito’s are a constant battle in our family. I hate them but I also hate mosquito spray. I hate the smell, I hate the feeling of it on your skin, I hate that it’s full of chemicals and poisons.
Living in lakes country Minnesota we are surrounded by the pesky buggers constantly but they are out in force anytime after dusk. It also seems like after the first bite they spread the word and next think you know you are itchy from head to toe and the evening you were enjoying now became slightly irritating.
Anytime our family does cave and use mosquito spray the minute we return home showers are to be had by all because I refuse to allow my kids or hubby to go to bed with that crap on them. Yuck!
Last month commercials started to resurface for mosquito sprays and bug repellants. One stuck out like a sore thumb and my disgusted feelings towards it resurfaced.
Off! Clip On. I have a major problem with this form of mosquito repellant. From the first time the company released the new product and commercials were aired on TV I have stuck to my guns, that is poison!
Off! Clip On is a little clip on container that surrounds you and the area with mosquito repellant. It is supposedly odorless and according to reviews on several sites works miracles.
It works by clipping it to yourself or the area you would like protected and a small fan will constantly circulate the bug deterrent. Using a battery the life of each refillable disc is up to 12 hours.
You might be asking yourself well if the reviews are all positive why she would hate this product so much. Well, it’s not the fact that it appears to truly work wonders, but because of the health risks, and the lack of any public knowledge.
Let’s begin by the most obvious issue. Once you clip that cartridge on you and turn it on, the fan surrounds you with a constant dose of bug repellant. That means you are breathing those chemicals in constantly, the entire time you are wearing it. I compare that to huffing a can of bug spray. This must be far more dangerous and toxic than a onetime full body spray that you wear throughout the evening.
I wonder what the effects of this product will be. Common sense tells me to breathing this stuff cannot be safe. It must be toxic. I feel that there are probably some major long term effects that a product like this will cause.
I also fear that if the reviews are so good and the product works as well as some say people will continue to use this product, making exposure to these chemicals ongoing. The company as labeled it safe for kids. Meaning they are children out there using this product as well, using the same dosage as adults? Am I raising some concern yet?
So I began my search of damning information.
Off! Clip On Mosquito Repellent is a SC Johnson product. During my search I came across a Material Safety Data Sheet from the company. The print date is 12/08/2008 with a revision date of 10/15/2008.
Here is some of the info I pulled from the report:
http://www.scjohnson.ca/msds/OFF!%20Clip-on%20Mosquito%20Repellent.pdf
Ok, reading this validates my concern! “May be harmful if inhaled.” and “Avoid breathing vapors, mist or gas” This is information contained on the first page of the report! Then I read further and under Potential Health Effects and Inhalation the company has reported “Inhalation may cause central nervous system effects” WHAT? Are you serious? This report was completed in 2008 and I assume the product rolled out the summer season of 2009. This is insane!
According to the packaging and the MSDS data sheet the main ingredient in Off! Clip On is Metofluthrin. So I looked that up too.
I found the chemical fact sheet on the United States Environmental Protection Agency website. The report was completed in 2006.
In the animal testing industry it has been known that rats are used due to their very close similarity of human systems, body functions and internal health.
“Rats appeared to be most sensitive via the inhalation route, based on clinical signs including ataxic gait, tremors, tip-toe gait, lateral position, clonic convulsion, hypothermia and mortality in both sexes”
I don’t mean to sound redundant, but WHAT?! Seriously!! Everything I found seems to back up my statement. Every report I have found and read shows that inhaling and breathing this chemical has major consequences.
I am no scientist by any means so I do not know or understand the rate of exposure during these tests, however, in my opinion the dosage amount used has no affect on my opinion of this product. Across the board this stuff is toxic.
Whether or not the symptoms or side effects present themselves now, tomorrow, 10 years from now or in the health of our future children is to be seen. In cases like these harmful side effects are usually not known for years down the line.
For example, Asbestos. How many years were we using asbestos before it became public knowledge that exposure caused mesothelioma. Then there’s all sorts of medications. Birth control, anti-depressants and medical supplies. Years later the court systems are clogged with medical lawsuits due to side effects.
I am betting this too will be one of those problems. Years from know it is going to be proved that it causes cancer or reproductive side effects, breathing issues etc.
The report goes on and on and at no point does it start looking up, unless you’re one of the dead rats they found during testing.
The idea of using this product is sick and I find it deplorable that a company would develop, market and sell this. I am by no means any type of health nut or environment conscious, green guru but I AM one to protect my health. When something seems off, I am going to look into it!
This is not meant to start a war of any sort, just passing my thoughts, concern and public health warning. I would advise you to not use this product.
Have you used this product? Will you use it this summer? What are your thoughts?
Please share via various means of social media and spread the word!
About Miranda Sherman
I am always amazed at how much these health warnings are glossed over. I think we have become de-sensitized to these warnings. I think we assess risk and think “Ah, what are the odds?” And I think we focus on the immediate result we need (to get rid of the mosquitos) vs. the long-term effects (destroyed nervous system). It’s good to be reminded of these things and bravo for raising the alarm bells!
What you found is shocking. I am appalled that a company would market this at all, let alone market it as safe for children.
scary stuff!!!
spaceship tank“
I’m not surprised at all. If it wasn’t toxic then it wouldn’t keep the bugs away. As far as this vs. the spray-on, do you want to have it get into your system through dermal contact?