Exposure to 2,4-D can cause immediate and relatively minor problems like skin rashes and gastrointestinal upsets. Long-term health effects of the herbicide are unknown, the EPA said. Families with small children, in particular, should be aware of the track-in problem, Lewis said. Young children almost live on the floor as they crawl, learn to take those first steps, and pass through the toddler stage. Their mouths, noses and eyes are in direct contact with the floor.
Hands touch the floor and then go right into the mouth.
Objects from the floor go into their mouths. Carpeted floors also are a favorite spot for older children to watch television and read. The study found that a rug or carpet in the entryway collects pesticide from shoes, and limits the amount that accumulates elsewhere in the house. Homes with carpeted entryways had lower levels of pesticide elsewhere in the house. In homes with bare-floor entryways, the highest levels of herbicide accumulated in carpeted living rooms and bedrooms.