Environment DEC
From the November 2008 issue
State to Restrict Use of Bug Bombs
DEC will encourage the adoption of less-toxic management strategies for common indoor pests such as cockroaches and bed bugs.
In the wake of a new federal report detailing hazards and injuries related to total-release foggers--"bug bombs"--New York State will be addressing the risks posed by these products. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will classify foggers as a restricted-use product in the state, meaning that only certified pesticide applicators, not the general public, will be able to obtain them. Simultaneously, DEC will explore the need to further limit fogger use and encourage the adoption of better pest-management strategies.
Total-release foggers have caused numerous explosions and acute illnesses from pesticide exposure. According to a report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were 123 cases of bug bomb-related illness or injury in New York State from 2001-06. Information about New York's incidents were part of a larger study published in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report which, using data from several states, illuminated the hazards of foggers. The most commonly reported acute health effects from bug bombs were respiratory problems and gastrointestinal reactions, such as nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In editorial comments accompanying the study, the CDC noted that these figures most likely are underestimated.
According to New York City Fire Department data, total-release foggers have caused at least four to eight serious explosions in apartments during the past several years. In September of this year, an apartment building in Manhattan was evacuated after a fogger caused an explosion. Ten people were treated at the scene, including six who were taken to the hospital.
More information on pest management and pesticide use is available.
Related Links
Foggers Combined with Ignition Sources are Fire Hazard (Leaving DEC's website)
