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Are structural fumigants safe?
Structural fumigants undergo a thorough review by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) before they are registered for use. The fumigant label provides instructions for use that are designed to prevent exposure to unsafe levels of the fumigant.
Exposure to high levels of the most commonly used fumigant, sulfuryl fluoride, can cause symptoms such as respiratory irritation, nausea, excess fluid in the lungs, sleepiness, pneumonia and convulsions. If you believe you are ill due to a structural fumigation, you should seek immediate medical attention. You can also call Florida’s Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222 or your county health department.
Should I be concerned about residue on my dishes, clothing and furnishings?
No, modern fumigants are gases when they are released from the cylinder in which they are transported. The molecules of gases used for fumigation can naturally be found at extremely low levels in our atmosphere. During aeration, the fumigant dissipates and leaves no residue.
Should I be concerned that my next door neighbor’s house is being fumigated?
You should feel free to talk to the certified applicator about any questions you have. There is no “minimum distance” between a fumigated space and a non-fumigated space. Regulations require additional precautions for connected structures (which include any connections by conduits, etc.), and all enclosed, fumigated spaces must be made reasonably gas-tight.
My structure is being fumigated. Should I get any kind of notice?
The company conducting the fumigation is required to present a copy of the fumigation contract to the owner for acceptance before any work is performed. The company is also required to present a product-specific “Fumigant Fact Sheet” to an adult occupant of each structure/unit. Further, the certified applicator is required to put warning signs on all sides of the fumigated structure.
What should I do to prepare for a fumigation?
Your certified applicator may ask you to help prepare your home for fumigation. Instructions on properly preparing your house may include things like leaving dresser drawers partially open, leaving all interior doors open, ensuring plastic storage boxes have their lids ajar or are open, making sure foods and medicines have been double bagged or removed from the structure, etc. Preparation around the exterior is also important. Trimming shrubbery back so tarpaulins can fit and making sure there is a separation between the house and any deck or fence posts allow for a better seal.
What other steps must be taken to protect homeowners and their neighbors?
Certified applicators are required to verify that no person or pets remain within the structure during fumigation. All exterior entrances must have secondary locks that prevent anyone, including the homeowner, from entering the treated structure until it is properly aerated and cleared for reoccupancy.
Common structural fumigants, such as sulfuryl fluoride, are colorless and odorless. Therefore, in addition to sulfuryl fluoride, certified applicators are required to also release chloropicrin into treated structures as a warning agent. Chloropicrin can cause irritation of the eyes, tears and discomfort, and has a pungent odor at very low concentrations. If you experience these symptoms, you should leave the structure and contact the certified applicator to request that they return to your structure and verify that the structure has been properly aerated and cleared for reoccupancy.
How do I know it is safe to re-enter a structure after fumigation?
You and your pets (and houseplants) must vacate the structure during the fumigation process and not re-enter the structure for any reason until you have been told it is safe to re-enter by the certified applicator. State regulations require that the certified applicator properly aerate the structure and check each room with gas detection equipment to determine that it is safe to reoccupy. After taking steps to properly clear a structure, the certified applicator must post a notice on all entrances that states it is safe to re-enter. If you do not see this notice, contact your certified applicator and DO NOT re-enter the structure.
Why does the certified applicator ask for a key to my home?
Certified applicators need to verify that no person or pets remain within the structure, and they need immediate access in order to respond in the event of an emergency.
