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Fumigation Dangers

Fumigation is defined as the dispersing of a toxic substance in such a way that it arrives at its designated target as a gas. There are a wide range of fumigants that are highly toxic chemicals. These chemicals pose considerable danger to people using or applying them, as well as to the environment. Fumigation is used to kill pests from rodents to termites and is used commercially, in the home and in agriculture.

  1. Toxic Exposure

    • The danger of poisoning caused by the chemicals used in fumigation is real. Phosphide fumigants, for example, are particularly hazardous as they release poisonous phosphine gas when they come into contact with water droplets in the air. Residents of a home that is due to be fumigated must remove themselves as well as their plants and pets from the building. Food and medication must be sealed in plastic bags or removed as the poisons can settle on them and be accidentally ingested later. After a house has been fumigated, it should be aired out for 24 hours. Using fans to get rid of residual chemical fumes may also be necessary.

    Inhalation Risks

    • Since fumigation involves toxic chemicals in a gaseous state, there is an inherent risk of both applicators and non-applicators breathing it in. In the case of phosphide fumigants, if the gas is inhaled it produces phosphoric acid when it reacts with moisture in the lungs, leading to blisters and the collection of fluid in the lungs. Both of these responses can cause death. Phosphine exposure may also cause chest pain, nausea, cramps,vomiting, headaches and dizziness. People suffering from phosphine poisoning may be confused and stagger. Once phosphine reaches the cells inside the body, it can destroy cell membranes and interfere with enzymes that are essential for metabolism and breathing.

    Burn Risks

    • Certain fumigants are highly volatile and pose the risk that they may explode and cause extensive burns. Magnesium and aluminum phosphide containers may cause flash fires when they are opened. Bystanders and firefighters called in to fight a fire caused by a phosphide explosion are then at risk of inhaling the gas and suffering poisoning.

    Accidents

    • When houses or apartments are fumigated, there is a set of strict rules and regulations that a fumigation company has to adhere to. They have to post numerous warnings and notification of the proposed fumigation, making sure that all the residents have left the building and that they have prior knowledge of exactly when to vacate the premises and how to protect themselves from the fumes. Despite precautions taken, accidents can and do happen. In 2010, the Los Angeles Times reported the death of a 37-year-old condominium resident after she was pulled out of a building being fumigated. She was possibly trapped in the building which was tented with an airtight seal.

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