Safer Pest Control in the Home

Do not use or sell illegal pesticide chalk




What is pesticide chalk?

A white chalk that is made in China. It comes in small packages bearing names such as:

  • Miraculous insecticide chalk
  • Pesticide chalk
  • Chinese chalk
  • Pretty Baby chalk
  • Miracle chalk
  • Mr. Roach chalk
  • Insecticide chalk


It has the same appearance as safe chalk used in classrooms, but contains deltamethrin and/or cypermethrin, dangerous pesticides that are illegal in the United States. Both pesticides are known to affect the nervous system.

Illegal Chinese Chalk comes in bright packages.


The chalk packages each have a drawing of an insect, and state in English that the chalk "kills cockroach and ant effectively. Harmless to human being and animal and safe to use."

Packages instruct consumers to draw lines on the floor to kill insects that crawl over the pesticide.

The product is ILLEGAL. Use of any unregistered and illegal pesticides may pose danger to you and your children.

You have no way of knowing what the ingredients are in an unregistered pesticide, or how dangerous it is.


What are the possible health effects of pesticide chalk?

A serious problem with pesticide chalk is that it can be mistaken for common blackboard chalk. Children may be poisoned by handling chalk, crawling on floor surfaces treated with this chalk, or by putting chalk in their mouth.

Poison Control Centers nationwide received 668 calls involving pesticide chalk between 1992 and 1995. Of these, 94% of the cases were from eaten chalk, and 87% involved children under age six.

Overexposure to this chalk can produce serious health effects, especially in children, including vomiting, stomach pains, convulsions, tremors, coma, and death due to respiratory failure.

Of the nine child exposures in Illinois during 1997-1999, no one was seriously ill but experienced vomiting and other minor symptoms. Nationwide, between 1992 - 1996 there were 805 reported poisonings due to the chalk, most involving children under age six who had eaten the chalk. There were probably many more unreported cases. The only known serious incident occurred in California in 1994 (a child found unconscious after swallowed a piece of the chalk), but on record there is also a child in State of Michigan who ate 1/2 of the chalk and was hospitalized in 1992. Several children have been hospitalized after eating the chalk.

According to a rat experiment, one stick of the chalk is capable of killing a child with oral exposure; however, children are likely to throw it up. So, it may not be as deadly as it seems.

Serious allergic reactions are also possible.

In addition, analysis of the colorful packaging has found high levels of lead and other heavy metals.


How is pesticide chalk being sold?

The problem was first discovered in New York in 1986. Since then the illegal sale of pesticide chalk has been discovered in many states, and Canada. It has mostly been sold in small ethnic grocery stores and hardware stores, swap meets, beauty supply shops, and flea markets. It has also been advertised in some newspapers and over the Internet.

Chinese Chalk sold in ethnic grocery store.



Why is pesticide chalk illegal?

The product is an unregistered pesticide. The ingredients and packaging have not been reviewed and approved by the USEPA. The illegal pesticide chalk shows no signs it is made with any quality control. Its active ingredient in confiscated samples varies among chalk sticks from low to highly toxic.


Has anyone been arrested for selling pesticide chalk?

Chinese chalk collected as evidence.

  • Yes. Kim Yanghu, owner of Kim's Oriental Grocery in Indianapolis, was caught selling the illegal chalk in his store. The distribution, display, sale, or offer to sell illegal pesticide products is a federal offense. Mr. Yanghu's penalty could be a fine of up to $10,000.

  • Three men were arrested for selling the chalk in Chicago:

    • David W. Lau, owner of Sun Sun Tong
    • Jimmie L. Wallace, manager of Dollars & Sense
    • Abdulrazak I. Bhim, owner of A-1 Dollar Plus

    The three are charged with unlawful distribution of an unregistered pesticide, a Class A misdemeanor. Class a misdemeanors are punishable by up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine.

  • In November 1998, the USEPA ordered the manufacturer of Pretty Baby Chalk of Pomona, California, to stop selling the unregistered product to consumers and schools on the Internet and in newspaper advertisements.


What is being doing about the problem?

USEPA and state pesticide agencies have:

  • Conducted many marketplace inspections

  • Issued numerous stop-sale orders

  • Taken enforcement actions

  • Issued press releases

  • Conducted outreach to educate the public

  • Made joint efforts with US Customs Office to prevent imports into the US

  • Civil penalties can be up to $5,500 per violation.

  • Criminal penalties can be up to $27,500 or 1 year jail time or both

This Chinese Chalk is hidden among other items.

The US Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for enforcement of product-related violations, while the states are responsible for enforcement of pesticide misuse.