Don’t use banned pesticides in your home - it may kill your neighbours too

Using the banned household pesticide aluminium phosphide, commonly called the ‘bomb’, can be very dangerous, particularly in summer, according to an official of the UAE Ministry of Environment and Water.
 

Aisha Al Abdouli, undersecretary of the ministry, at the IMF campaign. (SUPPLIED)

Aluminium phosphide is widely used to control rats, cockroaches, bed bugs and other insects in houses in the UAE.

Launching an awareness campaign about the dangers of using aluminium phosphide, Aisha Al Abdouli, undersecretary of the ministry, said, “This pesticide has led to several deaths, especially among children. Casualties are higher during summer when families go home after placing aluminium phosphide tablets in their apartments.”

Pesticides can enter the human body through three routes - mouth (orally), through eyes or skin (dermally) or through the lungs (inhalation). People may be poisoned without realising the seriousness of the exposure, especially if the pesticide enters through the skin or lungs.

“Children often cannot withstand the toxicity of this pesticide. Deaths have taken place in apartments where the tenants bought aluminium phosphide from illegal traders or building watchmen,” the undersecretary said.

The ministry is conducting the awareness campaign jointly with the Indian Media Forum, an association of Indian journalists in the UAE.

Aisha Al Abdouli said, “Sometimes the tenant leaves the apartment after placing tablets of this pesticide. Aluminium phosphide then reacts with moist air and changes its form from solid to the toxic phosphine gas and spreads to other residents of the building through the ceiling or air conditioning ducts or the sewerage system. Aluminium phosphide is available in UAE as a dark grey or yellowish tablet or pellet. Some pesticides are so toxic that accidental exposure to them without proper protection can cause illness or even death. Even slightly toxic pesticides may irritate the nose, throat, eyes and skin of sensitive people.”

She said people who use aluminium phosphide in their homes are not aware of the danger it can cause to their neighbours. Most users of aluminium phosphide do not know that it can have severe impact on the respiratory and metabolic activities.

The public should deal with registered pest control firms which have sufficient expertise and which use registered pesticides only. Pest control businesses should also get prior permission from the ministry for their advertisements. People can use other alternative pesticides like deltamethrin and cyfluthrine, she added.

“It is difficult to control the import of aluminium phosphide into the UAE because people sometimes bring it in their luggage,” she said.

Aluminium phosphide is sold in the UAE without any label or with a label that does not mention the active ingredient.

The undersecretary said the ministry is implementing a pesticide management initiative, which includes tightening controls on import and sale of pesticides. Pest control firms have to be registered with the municipalities of the emirates and these firms should use only pesticides registered with the ministry. Currently 1,500 pesticides are registered with the ministry and each new pesticide entering the country should be tested at the ministry’s laboratory for registration. Pest control firms should use only employees who are qualified to handle these pesticides. Pest control firms should also abide by the decisions of the ministry on the import, sale and storage of pesticides.

Indian Media Forum President Elvis Chummar, General Secretary Ronny S Panicker and Vice President K M Abbas participated in the awareness campaign. All media members of the association will run an awareness campaign about the dangers of using aluminium phosphide.

“The public can check the pesticide label for the ministry’s registration number to make sure that it is registered with the ministry. The public should use only the services of pest control firms registered with the municipality. The municipality’s website has a list of registered pest control companies,” said the undersecretary.

Aluminium phosphide has been banned in the UAE since 2010. However, highly restricted use of the pesticide is allowed in agriculture and in fumigation of grain warehouses and for controlling palm weevils.

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