Some common yard treatments, used to green up the lawns, work well...but in many cases they don't come without a cost.

When the quest for the perfect lawn involves chemical treatment, it can have some unintentional health consequences as Barbara Reyelts reports.

For 22 years Andy Gilbert served his country...fighting in Korea and Vietnam.

"I spent 4 and a 1/2-years in Vietnam. I put time in Okinawa- Thailand, and I spent 16 and a1/2-years overseas. My last service was in Vietnam."

Andy met and married Hahn in Korea.

The couple settled on the Iron Range and has lived in Virginia for almost 35 years.

Andy's combat duties resulted in some serious upper respiratory problems.

"I can't walk very much at all, that's why I carry this with me. I have a concentrator in the house that I use 15-20 times daily."

Andy survived Viet Nam but recently exposure to some of the same chemicals found in Agent Orange nearly cost him his life.

We were sitting outside in the lawn like this and than we starting smelling a bad smell and than when I looked down to the end of the lawn I saw that spray.

Within minutes Andy was in trouble.

I couldn't breathe and I was pretty upset.

My heart starts beating real rapid and I have to go to the emergency.

Hahn told the doctor that the neighbors were spraying an herbicide on their lawn. It turned out to be a product called "LESCO".

The label says it contains 2-4 D, Dimethylamine and dichlorooanisic acid...some of the same chemicals found in Agent Orange, the defoliant used during the Viet Nam war.

This product is legal to use, though the warnings on the label might frighten some people off. It says it can cause irreversible eye damage, muscle weakness, lethargy, abdominal pain, shortness of breath and even death.

Experts say any herbicide or pesticide can be dangerous if not used correctly.

But St. Luke's Pulmonologist Dr. JeRay Johnson says you're at particular risk if you have upper respiratory problems.

With someone with compromised respiratory function it can become very serious if they have a direct inhalation.

Experts say anyone around chemical herbicides is at risk of lung and eye irritation.

But they warn that children and pets are much more vulnerable to health problems from exposure.

If you use chemicals around your home and garden your child is more than seven times more likely to get childhood leukemia.

Dogs are twice as likely to develop canine lymphoma if you spray your lawn and also four-to-seven times more likely to develop bladder cancer.

Experts recommend posting a stay-off-the lawn sign for 48 hours after using a chemical treatment...but Northland Environmentalist Jan Conley says often that doesn't do much good.

Your pet rolls around, it comes in- rolls on the rug- your toddler is crawling on the rug.

Herbicides like LESCO are very popular.

More than 78 million American households use pesticides or herbicides, accounting for over 90-million pounds of chemicals applied to lawns and gardens each year.

Experts say they're very effective...

But Andy and Hahn question their value in relation to the health risks they can bring.

There are a lot of older people I've talked to around town and they just and they feel ill- they agree that after the neighbors spray they become ill or either their pet.

The Gilberts say the best thing people can do is warn neighbors when they intend to spray chemical products allowing people the option to get out of the way.

In Virginia, Barbara Reyelts, the Northland's News Center.

Tomorrow Barbara will talk with experts about how to maintain a fresh green lawn without the use of chemical treatments.