Safety of popular mosquito coils questioned

Safety of popular mosquito coils questioned

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A night without mosquitoes in tropical countries would be a
dream come true for many. The annoying buzzing sound and itchy
bites by the insects, not to mention the possible infectious
diseases they carry, make them unwelcome in every home.

Insecticide can be a great deal of help to get rid of the
bloodsuckers. In modern households, thanks to technology,
electric mosquito repellents, sprays and coils are popularly used
indoors.

Mosquito coils have now become the cheapest and most popular
form of household insecticide in the country. In 2000 alone,
people spent nearly Rp 920 billion (US$102 million) on the
products.

The widespread use of mosquito coils, although debatable, can
be traced back to the age-old Indonesian way of burning kluwih
(breadfruit) or just lighting a fire to produce smoke to drive
away the insects, at least for a while.

The use of the substance is aimed at repelling the pests. The
substance is not always toxic but by mixing it with pesticide, it
may increase its toxic level.

Even though other insecticides also have the potential to harm
people's health, the safe use of mosquito coils is now under
scrutiny due to the extensive use of a certain chemical substance
to boost its efficacy.

Earlier this year, the Ministry of Agriculture approved the
use of octachlorodipropyl ether (a toxic chloroether derivative)
in pesticides for five years until February 2006.

The ministerial decree, which doesn't clarify in which
manufacturing process the use of the substance is allowed, states
that the permit may be reviewed and even revoked if sufficient
evidence shows that the substance is harmful.

There has not yet been any research on the side effects of the
substance, widely known as S2 or S241, on other living creatures,
let alone human beings.

Other countries, including the United States, China and Japan,
have conducted tests on how S2 affects living creatures. Two of
the tests done in China give conflicting results.

The first test conducted in the early 1990s, ensured its safe
use. "But the second in 1998 revealed that S2 can mutate the
body's cells, thereby causing cancer, airway irritation and even
the uncontrollable proliferation of cells," said Eddy Martono, a
scientist at Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University.

He was speaking at a one-day seminar sponsored by the
pesticide commission on the use of household pesticides here on
Sept. 13.

Robert I. Krieger, head of the personal chemical exposure
program at the University of California, told the seminar that
such a substance is not even registered in the U.S. as there was
not sufficient data on the safe use of S2.

"S2 has never been used for commercial purposes in the U.S.
because of the uncertainty of its hazardous side effects when
exposed to humans," he said, revealing research conducted 40
years ago regarding the use of the substance.

When a mosquito coil containing S2 was burned, he explained
the substance may form the carcinogenic compound bischloromethyl
ether, otherwise known as BCME, which enters the human body
through inhalation or by being absorbed by the skin.

Krieger pointed out that the S2 residual from a burned coil
stays longer indoors, especially in a relatively small room such
as a bedroom, can last up to 25 days or in some cases up to two
months.

The World Health Organization has categorized BCME as a highly
toxic compound, which can build up and remain in the fatty
tissues for years and may later cause cancer, in particular lung
cancer, he said.

"Children are five times more at risk than adults. Recent
research in Japan shows that there is a significant amount of S2
in breast milk.

"Although there have yet to be any confirmed cases,
uncertainty over the hazards should halt any decision to use S2
as we don't know what little amount is safe to use," he added.

So far, according to Joeli Hartono, secretary of the pesticide
commission that gave recommendations for the use of S2, there are
at least three brands of mosquito coils using the substance.

He said that factories registered the use of the substance
under a list of miscellaneous substances.

Eddy Martono said that there is actually another substance
used in pesticides that doesn't cause cause any toxicity.

"Maybe the industry uses S2 due to economic motives, as the
substance is relatively easy to obtain," he said.

Many participants later questioned the government's decision
to allow its use without providing sufficient information.

"Why should consumers bear the risk of something they are not
even aware of?" contended Carolina, a researcher at the
Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI).

Tini Hadad, co-founder of the Indonesia Consumers Foundation,
urged the government to introduce strict regulations on the
advertisements of all mosquito repellents.

"The consumer should be given accurate information on its
content, how to use it or the safe dosage of use, because with or
without S2, all of the products are toxic and hazardous
substances," she said.

Tini also urged consumers to reduce dependence on mosquito
repellents and suggested the old-fashioned way instead.

"Just keep the house clean, outside and inside... place
mosquitoes screens on doors and windows, nets in bedrooms to
prevent the insects from entering," she added.