Nits! How insecticide in nit shampoo can affect your local rivers

If you have children coming up to school age, then it won't be long before the first head louse takes up residence in your child's silky tresses, unless you're very lucky or have made some kind of pact with the devil. There are a lot of treatments out there but after a conversation on Twitter today with Theo Thomas of thames21, I shall be careful which ones I buy. 

Theo tweeted to me that "it just takes one class with a head louse outbreak, using insecticide, to affect a river." This is because the insecticide gets washed into the drains and ends up in rivers, killing river insects. Theo cautioned against buying any head lice treatments with insecticides malathion & permethrin and suggested that nit combs and squishing them was the best way. If that's not enough, then organic non-insecticide treatments are better. 

Stroud Green WI suggested a home remedy of oil and vinegar (yes salad dressing). "Massage in, wrap in clingfilm, comb, wash, repeat as necc." Do not confuse salad dressing with salad cream however.