Bedbugs beware: EPA weaves web(site) on how to kill you

The Environmental Protection Agency offers a new online search tool to help consumers identify the right pesticide to kill bedbugs.

EPA introduced the new search tool on its website on Oct. 6. It allows consumers to search a database of more than 300 products registered and approved by the agency for wiping out the pests.

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Users can search by type of active ingredient, product name or the scope of infestation. A general search for “mattress” infestations created a list of more than 200 products.

“This new database will help Americans select a safe, EPA-approved pesticide to help rid their home of bedbugs,” Steve Owens, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, said in a news release.

The site also has advice on ensuring treatment is effective and safe, including practical steps such as reducing clutter, covering mattresses and vacuuming.

Bedbug eradication really isn't a do-it-yourself project, though, and the EPA site recognizes this. It cautions consumers to employ professional exterminators and to never to use products inside their homes that are meant for outdoor use.