Fumigation and fumigators
Pests sometimes turn up in places that are hard to reach, such as stored food, a building or a shipping container. For some of these, a fumigator is called in.
What fumigation is
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) describes fumigation as pest control that uses special gases, called fumigants, to kill pests. It takes place in purpose-built chambers, in homes and workplaces, and in ships and transport containers.
The British Pest Control Association describes it as releasing a gas to destroy pests in a building, a product, a vehicle or an item of furniture.
The fumigant used depends on the pest, the goods and where they are, which fumigants are available, and the temperature.
Why fumigants are dangerous
Fumigants work as a poison when they are breathed in, or by suffocation. HSE says fumigation can harm or kill people who are exposed to the gas if it is not carried out correctly and safely.
HSE points members of the public who need medical advice after exposure to a chemical to NHS 111 or NHS 24. The NHS says 999 is for life-threatening emergencies.
Who may fumigate
HSE's guidance says fumigators must be competent and properly trained. Their training covers the safe use and disposal of fumigants, the safety precautions, and what to do in an emergency, including first aid.
Since 26 November 2015, professional users of pesticide products have had to hold a certificate of competence. HSE gives that certificate as the way to tell whether a fumigator is competent.
Several sets of rules apply to fumigants. HSE names the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations, the Biocidal Products Regulation, the Control of Pesticides Regulations and REACH.
Bed bugs at home
The NHS advises anyone who thinks they have bed bugs to contact their local council or a pest control service. It says bed bugs are very hard to get rid of alone, because they are hard to find and may resist some insecticides.
While waiting, the NHS suggests washing bedding and clothes on a hot wash at 60C and tumble drying them on hot for at least 30 minutes. Things that cannot be washed can go in a plastic bag in the freezer for 2 to 3 weeks.
GOV.UK's council finder covers England and Wales. It tells people to ask their council whether it provides pest control.
Part of a wider plan
The British Pest Control Association says fumigation kills adult pests and their eggs. It leaves no barrier behind, so pests can return once the other stages of their life cycle hatch out. The association suggests using fumigation within integrated pest management, a wider plan for keeping pests away.
Containers that arrive fumigated
People who unload freight containers at work may meet fumigants. HSE says the cargoes most likely to have been fumigated include foodstuffs, leather goods, handicrafts, textiles, timber or cane furniture, and goods in timber cases or on timber pallets.
A container may still hold fumigant without a warning label, or after being marked as ventilated. HSE says any container suspected of holding fumigant should be opened carefully with a competent person present, and tested for fumigants.