Pets

2,4-D is one of the world's most widely used herbicides, killing broadleaf weeds while sparing grasses. It has been used in domestic lawns and gardens since the 1940s. The IARC classified it as a possible human carcin…

Bifenthrin is one of the most potent and persistent synthetic pyrethroids used in consumer garden products — it is the active ingredient in popular UK ant killers, surface insect sprays, and crawling insect treatments…

Most clumping cat litters are made from sodium bentonite clay or diatomaceous earth, and when poured, scooped, or disturbed, they release a dust cloud containing fine respirable particles including crystalline silica …

A synthetic antioxidant preservative widely used in commercial pet food, particularly in fish-based products, with concerns over liver toxicity, endocrine disruption, and carcinogenicity that led to its ban from human…

Lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury occur at measurable levels in many commercial pet foods, accumulating from contaminated ingredients including ocean fish, organ meats, and bone meal, exposing pets to chronic heavy …

Imidacloprid is a neonicotinoid insecticide that has become the dominant active ingredient in pet flea and tick products — it is the active compound in Advantage, Advocate, and numerous veterinary spot-on products, as…

Dogs and cats act as highly efficient vectors for transferring lawn treatment chemicals from outdoor treated surfaces into the home. Pets walk on recently treated grass, accumulate herbicide and pesticide residues on …

Metaldehyde blue slug pellets were for decades the standard consumer garden product for slug and snail control — sold in every garden centre and supermarket in the UK. Metaldehyde works by disrupting the mucus product…

Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites produced by moulds (fungi) that contaminate food and animal feed. They are among the most widespread food contaminants globally, affecting an estimated 25% of the world's foo…

Neonicotinoids are a class of systemic insecticides that act on the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors of insects, causing paralysis and death. They are the most widely used insecticides globally. They are water-solubl…

Household flea control extends beyond treating the pet to treating the home environment — carpets, skirting boards, pet bedding, and upholstered furniture where flea larvae and pupae persist. Household flea sprays des…

Permethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide modelled on natural pyrethrins from chrysanthemum flowers. It is one of the most widely used insecticides in gardens, homes, and agriculture. Highly effective against a…

Permethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide used extensively in UK garden insecticide sprays, pet flea products, wood preservatives, and clothing treatments for tick and mosquito repellence. It kills insects by k…

Veterinary flea and tick treatments for pets are among the most widely used pesticide products in UK homes. Products fall into two main categories: pyrethroids (particularly permethrin in dog treatments — acutely leth…

Pet food is packaged in materials — aluminium foil pouches, cans with polymer linings, and plastic trays — that can transfer plasticisers and other chemical migrants into the food. Wet cat and dog food is a particular…

A synthetic humectant used to maintain moisture in semi-moist pet foods and treats, banned from cat food in the EU due to haematological toxicity in cats, yet still permitted in dog food globally — with growing questi…

Rawhide dog chews are made from the inner split layer of cattle hides — the dermis — processed industrially to create a white, odourless product. The processing sequence involves strong alkali (sodium hydroxide lime s…

An antimicrobial compound restricted in human personal care products but still widely used in pet shampoos, dental gels, and grooming products, where pets absorb it dermally and orally through self-grooming, with conc…