PARLIAMENT CALLS FOR BAN ON OVER-THE-COUNTER PET FLEA TREATMENTS

A parliamentary committee has concluded that over-the-counter flea treatments for cats and dogs should be banned, citing concerns about environmental pollution. The House of Lords environment and climate change committee published its report on Wednesday. The treatments contain insecticides, principally imidacloprid and fipronil, which are applied topically to prevent fleas and ticks. Vets often recommend regular treatments as a preventive measure even when animals do not have fleas.

Both imidacloprid and fipronil are banned for use in pesticides across the EU and UK due to toxicity to fish, invertebrates, bees and pollinators. Research from Cardiff University found these chemicals in almost half of all samples collected from nine Welsh rivers. The Environment Agency stated in written evidence to the committee that even minimal quantities of either chemical can cause environmental harm. A study found songbirds were using contaminated dog and cat fur to build nests, with higher rates of unhatched eggs or dead chicks occurring where chemical incidence was greater.

The committee identified "worryingly insufficient evidence" regarding potential harm to human health from these substances. Academic research has found that fipronil and imidacloprid can affect foetal development and disrupt thyroid function. Researchers at Imperial College London noted that the breakdown products of these chemicals can be substantially more toxic than the active ingredients themselves. Guy Woodward, a professor of ecology at Imperial College London, told the committee that the quantity of concentrated imidacloprid in two sugar cubes would exceed predicted no-effect concentration in approximately 400 Olympic-sized swimming pools.