Mystery of the Mothballs

This is another installment in our series of blog posts about illegal dumping cases. Need a backgrounder on our illegal dumping program? We’ve got a blog post about that!

You expect to find mothballs in a closet, basement, or storage chest, but out in your yard? Now that’s unusual! A perplexed and concerned neighbor sent us a note through our website saying there were mothballs strewn across a nearby yard. 

Our team interviewed the homeowner who had the mothballs in their yard and learned they wanted to rid the area of chipmunks. The chipmunks had burrowed under the garage floor and caused widespread damage that was expensive to repair. To deter the chipmunks, the owner had spread mothballs in the yard.

Mothballs, which are regulated as a pesticide, are used to kill moths and insects that can damage clothing and other linens. Mothballs must be used correctly and carefully, as they can poison children, pets, and other animals, as well as contaminate soil, plants, and water (learn more from the National Pesticide Information Center). They are for indoor use only. Needless to say, the use of mothballs as a chipmunk repellant was off-label and illegal. It posed a threat to the owner, their dog, the neighbors, and the environment. 

The homeowner was elderly and unable to clean up the mothballs on their own. We reached out to the neighbor who originally filed the complaint, and they teamed up with others to pick up the mothballs and dispose of them properly. 

This story is a good reminder to only use mothballs—and other pesticides—as directed. The Poison Control Center has additional details on the dangers of incorrectly used mothballs. If you need to dispose of mothballs, see details from Dane County Clean Sweep; they take pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides, among many other things.

Reporting Concerns or Possible Violations

You can report any possible violations in Dane County to us.

Anyone can report a concern or possible violation. We have the authority to address threats to surface water quality in Madison and Dane County. We’ll ask for some basic details about what happened, like a description of what you saw and when.

Reporting possible violations is easy, either by online form or by phone.

To report a concern in Dane County, fill out an online report or call (608) 266-4821.