What is Diatomaceous Earth ?

DE is an abbreviation of the words "Diatomaceous Earth," which is a fossilized deposit of microscopic shells created by one celled plants called Diatoms. These plants inhabit all the waters of the earth, and serve as the basic food for aquatic life, just as grass is the basic food for land animals.

Some of these deposits, shifted to dry land, are extremely important to humans. PERMA-GUARD, INC., markets the material as an animal food additive, and, with the addition of Pyrethrum, as a line of environmentally safe insecticides.

What is Codex or "Food Grade" Diatomaceous Earth?
For D.E. to be called "Codex," it must meet the following requirements:

Item	Requirement	Perma-Guard Results
Arsenic (ppm)	not more than 10 ppm	<10
Lead (ppm)	not more than 10 ppm	<10
Non-Siliceous Substance %	not more than 25% on dried basis	11.0%
PH	passes test	7.3
Loss on Drying %	natural powders not more than 10%	6.2
Loss on Ignition	natural powders not more than 7% on the dried basis

What is Fossil Shell Flour made of?

Click on the link below to open an analysis of Perma-Guard Fossil Shell Flour in a Word document.

Analysis of Perma-Guard Fossil Shell Flour

Is it Kosher?

Do EPA Registrations apply to this product?
EPA (The Environmental Protection Agency) was formed by Congress for the purpose of registering and regulating the use and sale of toxic materials. Probably the most important thing they oversee for the health and safety of the nation are insecticides, herbicides and fungicides.

For example, anyone wanting to market a product claiming to kill insects must apply to EPA for a registration number, with acceptable data presented. On acceptance by EPA, a number is assigned to the product and the manufacturer can begin production and sales.

Any product offered for insect control not having an EPA number is in violation of the law and the seller can be subject to serious penalties. The EPA has all the necessary registrations for Perma-Guard, Inc. products.

Is DE Hazardous ?
Excerpt from The IPM Practitioner, Monitoring the Field of Pest Management, William Quarles, Volume XIV, Number 5/6, May/June 1992.

"Both swimming pool grade and natural diatomaceous earth come from the same fossil sources, but they are processed differently. The natural grades are mined, dried, ground, sifted and bagged. The pool grade is chemically treated and partially melted and consequently contains crystalline silica which can be a respiratory hazard. Thus, it is imperative that only natural diatomaceous earth be used for insect control. This non-crystalline silica is not a hazard as the human body apparently can dissolve it."

"Ingestion of diatomaceous earth is not toxic to mammals. Rats fed a daily diet containing 5% freshwater diatomaceous earth show no abnormalities after 90 days (Bertke 1964). Dairy farms sometimes feed their animals food containing 1 to 2% diatomaceous earth to control worms and other internal parasites (Allen 1972). Impoverished humans add "fossil flour" to their baked goods in order to stretch their flour supply (Cummins 1975). It is so safe for use on food that the FDA has exempted diatomaceous earth from requirements of fixed residue levels when added to stored grain (Fed. Reg. 1961). The U.S. EPA also allows its use in food storage and processing areas (Fed. Reg. 1981)."

The Food and Drug Administration, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, sets "tolerances" on poisonous chemical insecticides because residues of these insecticides are known to cause cancer and other alarming physiological effects when introduced into the bodies of test animals.

The Department of Agriculture in Michigan said in a letter:
"Our animal pathologist has examined the vital organs and intestinal components submitted, both macroscopically and microscopically, and has found no visible evidence of organ abnormalities.

These components consisted of brain, thyroid, rib section, lung, heart, liver, true stomach, small intestine section, large intestine section, pancreas, kidney, bladder, and forestomach.

These organs were submitted under affidavit as being from a slaughtered dairy cow having free choice access to fossil shell flour for approximately five years."

The University of Arkansas did a study to determine whether the addition of diatomaceous earth was harmful to chickens. Their conclusion: "It posed no threat."