Take my advice and bookmark the website for the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) at: npic.orst.edu. This is the go-to place for all kinds of information on pesticides and pesticide use. You can trust the information from this website because it is a cooperative effort between the Environmental Protection Agency and Oregon State University. Among other things, they have online fact sheets on all kinds of topics like:

• Children and Pesticides
• Understanding Pesticide Risks
• Using Pesticides on Pets
• Choosing and Using Insect Repellents
• Pesticides and Pregnancy
• Pest Identification
• Selecting a Pest Control Company
• Pests in Your Area and Who to Contact

In addition to information at the website, NPIC offers a toll-free telephone service (1-800-858-7378) that provides callers with a variety of information on pesticides. The National Pesticide Information Center takes questions from the general public, as well as medical and veterinary professionals needing pesticide information. The Center is staffed by highly qualified pesticide specialists who have the training necessary to interpret and translate scientific pesticide information into a format that is user-friendly for the general public.

The specialists at NPIC can:

• Help you find and understand information on the pesticide label
• Answer questions about pesticide poisoning
• Give you information on the regulation of pesticides
• Direct you to the proper place for emergency human or animal treatment
• Provide referrals for laboratory analysis or investigation of pesticide accidents
• Answer your questions about pesticide cleanup, storage and proper disposal