Mosquito Coils in Chiang Mai

[BonnieandClyde]

On a recent thread about Dengue Fever, the common mosquito coils used here were described as "poisonous".

Is that true? Are they all poisonous, or just some of them?

Our housekeeper uses them on the lower level all around the house. On the second floor we have an art studio/workshop and our bedroom. On windless days the noxious fumes from these coils rise up from below and create a major nuisance.

Nah Jy [the housekeeper] is an old Kohn Muang who we are quite fond of and trust completely, but she is as stubborn as a Texas mule about changing her ways. There is no language barrier - we speak Thai fairly well - it's just that the woman will not listen to reason.

If we could find a safe mosquito coil to substitute for the [possibly toxic] ones being used now, maybe we could solve the problem that way.

Thanks for any input on this.

[masuk]

I bought a bundle of coils at one of the MAKRO stores, and checked the labels on all of the alternatives before deciding on one, which has the logo on it for 'approved' by some department or the other (there's one on my microwave!).

The make is ARS. The rest of the packet is labelled in Japanese and Thai. A warning on the back of the packet advising you not to eat the coils.

Active ingredient is d-Allethrin, which appears in most fly sprays. But NOT all the other nasties found in many fly sprays.

Web site for the company is: http://www.ars.co.th/index.php?lang=eng

[BonnieandClyde]

I bought a bundle of coils at one of the MAKRO stores, and checked the labels on all of the alternatives before deciding on one, which has the logo on it for 'approved' by some department or the other (there's one on my microwave!).

The make is ARS. The rest of the packet is labelled in Japanese and Thai. A warning on the back of the packet advising you not to eat the coils.

Active ingredient is d-Allethrin, which appears in most fly sprays. But NOT all the other nasties found in many fly sprays.

Web site for the company is: http://www.ars.co.th/index.php?lang=eng

Thanks so much for that information.

We'll get the ARS coils and try not to eat them...no matter how nah-geen they look!

[GirlDrinkDrunk]

they are vile things that if in use induce nasuea and a head ache in myself.

i am always astonished at people who complain about second hand smoke from cigarettes and then light of one of these vile things.

The findings from the present study suggest that exposure to the smoke of mosquito coils similar to the tested ones can pose significant acute and chronic health risks. For example, burning one mosquito coil would release the same amount of PM(2.5) mass as burning 75-137 cigarettes. The emission of formaldehyde from burning one coil can be as high as that released from burning 51 cigarettes. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1241646/pdf/ehp0111-001454.pdf

i will not eat in a restaurant or restaurant garden where these are used and am constantly putting them out where i find them.

[Mestizo]

i will not eat in a restaurant or restaurant garden where these are used and am constantly putting them out where i find them.

Wait, what? With dengue fever running rampant, you are going around putting out one of the only defenses alot of people currently have???

I have a hard time believing your "head ache" trumps the well-being of potentially 100s of people you are putting at risk by putting these out!

Leave them be.... move away from them... go home... but goddamn, don't put them out!

-Mestizo

[WinnieTheKhwai]

We'll get the ARS coils and try not to eat them...

I look forward to calling them arse coils from now on.

[GirlDrinkDrunk]

i will not eat in a restaurant or restaurant garden where these are used and am constantly putting them out where i find them.

Wait, what? With dengue fever running rampant, you are going around putting out one of the only defenses alot of people currently have???

I have a hard time believing your "head ache" trumps the well-being of potentially 100s of people you are putting at risk by putting these out!

Leave them be.... move away from them... go home... but goddamn, don't put them out!

-Mestizo

nonsense, if the threat is that bad topically applied repellents should be in use rather than toxic smoke.

[wolf5370]

There are some natural ones available - pet friendly ones - a lavender one comes to mind. The cheapo green stinking kid are noxious, If they use Metofluthrin, then they are poisonous and should only be used outside and away from food.

The difference is the Metofluthrin kills the mozzies (et al), whereas the natural ones keep them at bay as they dislike the scent and that scent masks you - they also smell better.

[masuk]

GirlDrink Drunk: Before you get on your high horse, do the melon, put out mozzie coils, or even get slightly aggravated, I did point out what the active ingredient in the coils I suggested using is. It's d-Allethrin which comes from flowers. It is now synthesised, and here's what one reference says.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Allethrin I (R = −CH₃)
Allethrin II (R = −COOCH₃)

The allethrins are a pair of related synthetic compounds used in insecticides. They are synthetic pyrethroids, a synthetic form of a chemical found naturally in the chrysanthemum flower. They were first synthesized in the United States by Milton S. Schechter in 1949. Allethrin was the first pyrethroid.

The compounds have low toxicity for humans and birds, and are used in many household insecticides such as RAID as well as mosquito coils. They are, however, highly toxic to fish and bees. Insects subject to its exposure become paralyzed (nervous system effect) before dying. They are also highly toxic to cats because^[1] they either do not produce, or produce less of certain isoforms of glucuronosyltransferase, which serve in hepatic detoxifying metabolism pathways.^[2]

They are also used as an ultra-low volume spray for outdoor mosquito control.

It's in "KAYARI", the only insect spray I can find in Chiang Mai, which I consider safe. The others are not ones I'd use. Available in two sizes at TOPS and MAKRO.

[KRS1]

mosquitoes hate Lemongrass

A big urn/vase (whatever you call them) with water and mosquito eating fish can also alleviate mosquito problems

[MartinBKK]

I read a few articles suggesting some of these are cancer causing and the effects are more harmful than smoking 100 cigarettes. After reading this, i stopped using them. I have no idea if some are less harmful than others but i'll use repellent from now on.