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DEET Facts More than a third of U.S. children use DEET products each year. Used To Control: Insects Use and ExposureDEET, or N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide, is an insect repellent which is rarely used in agricultural production. Hundreds of products containing DEET are sold in the United States, and are designed to be applied directly to the skin or clothing. Agriculturally, 125.3 pounds were applied in California in 2000, mostly on plums (58.9 pounds) and nectarines (47.1 pounds) (1). Exposure to DEET is mainly through the skin and accidental ingestion through hand-to-mouth contact. EPA estimates that about 4 million pounds of DEET are used in the U.S. every year by 21% of all households nationwide. About 34% of U.S. children use DEET products (2). Health EffectsUse of DEET has “been implicated in seizures among children,”
but EPA believes that the data are not strong enough to show that DEET
definitely caused the seizures. EPA “believes it is prudent to require
clear, common-sense use directions and improved label warnings and restrictions
on all DEET products.” It is unknown whether DEET is a reproductive
and developmental toxin, or whether it is carcinogenic. One study of children
sickened by DEET exposure suggested that DEET is not safe for children
at any dose (3). EPA is concerned with combination DEET/sunscreen products,
because sunscreen is supposed to be applied frequently and generously,
unlike DEET, which could cause “unnecessary exposure” (2). Companies That Manufacture Products Containing DEETMcLaughlin, Gormley, King Company, SC Johnson, Clariant Corp, Schering-Plough, Morflex, Inc. (2) References(1) Pesticide Action Network Pesticide Database. “Chemical Information
About DEET.” Available at http://www.pesticideinfo.org/PCW/Detail_Chemical.jsp?Rec_Id=PC33407
accessed 1/27/03.
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