Mosquitoes and ticks can transmit serious and scary diseases to humans, but when it's time to purchase a repellent, there are a bewildering number of choices. Different brands, different active ingredients, and then different percentage and forumulations of active ingredients. Which should you choose?
Great news from the EPA: Making an informed insect repellent choice might get a little bit easier. EPA hopes to make choosing the right repellent easier with these labels, which will be based on "credible information and sound science." In the words of Jim Jones, Assistant Administrator of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention: "EPA is working to create a system that does for bug repellents what SPF labeling did for sunscreens."
The proposed label will indicate how long a repellent works against mosquitoes, against ticks, or mosquitoes and ticks. That's an important distinction! Not all compounds repel both, and mosquitoes and ticks are very different animals with very different biting habits. (Flying ticks are a nightmare that I don't even want to contemplate.)
For each group, EPA also will require that the label information is backed up by hard data for specific species of medical concern. A mosquito repellent that only repels one species of mosquito is going to have limited use, since nearly 200 different species occur in the USA.
The proposed labels are also accompanied by some tightening of language appearing on labels to make them less vague. For example, what does "Long lasting" or "repels for hours" mean? How long, specifically? How many hours? Claims such as “sweat proof” or “waterproof” should also be removed unless explicitly approved for the product as part of licensing.
I am very pleased by this development! This will help everyone make better and more informed choices about repellents. As an example of a choice you might face in the supermarket, you can buy a “Skintastic” formulation that is 6 percent DEET; you buy a “Deep Woods” formulation that is 30 percent DEET; and you can buy up to 100 percent DEET products. This new label would help you know that buying 40 percent or greater DEET products doesn’t really increase your protection from mosquitoes, according to peer-reviewed research.
The new label would also help you determine how often you ought to re-apply a lower active ingredient formulation to stay protected, and if that alternative provides effective protection against ticks. You could also now easily compare between multiple kinds of repellent active ingredients; Picaridin and IR3535 are two newer repellents that are alternatives to DEET.
My only complaint is that this label is voluntary, although hopefully in time it will become part of EPA registration. Also, it's only for skin-applied products, so things like candles and wrist bands are exempt. And that's disappointing, since citronella and other products have failed in research trials to effectively protect against biting. Essential oils are natural products exempt from EPA registration, so are also exempt from this labeling program. Essential oils can be irritating to the skin, and their repellent effect is highly variable.
Overall, it seems to be a great idea, derived from public feedback. From Mr. Jones: "During focus groups and an online national survey to better understand consumer behaviors and needs regarding skin-applied insect repellents, we learned that consumers want this information to be specific, clear, and in an easy-to-find location." EPA is seeking further comment on the new label.