You might think that your living spaces are pesticide-free but a new report indicates they linger long after the bugs have gone.

An Environmental Protection Agency study recently published in the Environmental Science & Technology journal found that pesticides used to kill various insects – roaches, ants, wasps, fleas, and ticks – stick around much longer than originally thought.

In fact, according to this EPA study, most U.S. kitchens floors are full of pesticides, many of which are considered toxic. Worst still, some of these pesticides were banned years ago due to their toxicity and carcinogenic qualities.

Most three commonly found pesticides were:

Permethrin – used in head lice treatments, pet flea treatments, and other inspect repellents.

Chlorpyrifos -  a home use insecticide sold as Dursban until 2001.

Chlordane – banned in 1984, this insecticide was used for decades on home gardens and lawns.

The fact that you might unknowingly be exposing yourself and your family to pesticides is kind of scary.

But while you don’t have control of what’s already in the house, the good news is that you can control what goes in from now by using alternative and less toxic pesticides in the future.

- via The Daily Green

Image: j.e.n.n.y.