Ok, Here is the reply from TheraCell, it is their response followed by my question to them, still waiting for S C Johnson's reply
Bob,
Thank you for registering your Thermacell. The SJ Johnson Off Clip-On is different than our product, the Thermacell Mosquito Repellent product line of appliances and lanterns.
The ThermaCELL Mosquito Repellent is approved by the U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and the E.P.A. of all 50 states as well as in 12 countries internationally. The EPA evaluated it for safety and functionality as well as environmental impact. Skin toxicity, inhalation toxicity and oral toxicity were a part of the information reviewed by the EPA during the registration process.
Our packaging does include the following warnings:
"Harmful if inhaled. Avoid breathing vapors."
"Do not contaminate food."
These warnings were required by the EPA when they gave us their registration. The chemical that we use can be harmful if ingested or inhaled in extremely high concentrations. For that reason alone, the EPA requires these warnings on any product that uses this chemical, regardless of how little of it is actually used.
Thermacell uses the ingredient d/cis trans Allethrin which is a repellent derived from Chrysanthemum flowers. I am attaching the Material Safety Data Sheet for the repellent mats, if you have any concerns you might want to show the MSDS to your physician. We have not had one health or safety complaint to date.
Our toxicologist informs us that the toxicity is the same whether inhaled or ingested. She also stated that the No Observable Effect Limit (the highest dosage given in laboratory studies in which no significant health effects were observed) for mammals is 750 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. An average person weighs at least 50 kilograms so the dosage needed to cause health effects would exceed 37,500 milligrams. One of our mats contains 498 milligrams and it is released over a period of 3 to 4 hours. Any chemical that is ingested or inhaled is quickly broken down in mammals. It does not accumulate and become a body burden. We believe that our product presents no health hazard for use outdoors with adults, children (please do not let children play with the product) and pets.
ThermaCELL commissioned a theoretical study (mathematical model) that showed that even if the unit were run in a windowless, small room for 8 hours straight, ThermaCELL would not pose an unreasonable risk to humans (Adults or Children) because the exposure level would be 2,000 to 3,000 times less than the No Observable Effect Level (NOEL) for Allethrin (the active ingredient.) In lab testing, the No Observable Effect Level is the highest dosage given to an animal that does not cause any significant health effects.
Please let me know if you have any questions Bob.
Best Regards,
Josh Schawbel
The Schawbel Corporation
26 Crosby Drive
Bedford, MA 01730
e-mail: [url "mailto
chawbel@thermacell.net"]schawbel@thermacell.net[/url]
tel. 781-541-6900
fax. 781-541-6007
From: Robert A. Tuttle [mailto:bobsmobilerepair@wildblue.net]
Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2010 11:56 AM
To: customerservice@thermacell.net
Subject: Active Ingredient?
Hello, I was very alarmed when I discovered the poison S C Johnson was trying to put into people with their OFF clip on. What is the Active Ingredient in your product? Thank you for any information, Sincerely, Bob Tuttle
PS: This was copied from a post on one of my fishing sites, That link being: [url "../../../cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=622006#p622006"]http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=622006#p622006[/url]
My wife saw the cool commercials on TV for Off® brand Clip-On™ Mosquito repellent and thought it would be a good alternative to applying something directly to her skin. She purchased the Clip-On and decided to try it out yesterday since the mosquito's here come in two sizes, "fryers and broilers" and they are thicker than love-bugs this year.
She had the clip-on on for just a few minutes before noting a chemical taste in her mouth then her eyes started to become irritated. She turned the Clip-On off and put it into a sealed plastic bag and left it outside. We started wondering about this product and did some research on it.
Each insert contains 31.2% Metofluthrin, a synthetic solvent developed in China. Turns out this is a very nasty neurotoxicant known to cause all sorts of damage to lab rats resulting in death. From what we have found, the maximum exposure limits have not been established for children nor even adult humans. It's known to be water soluble and highly toxic to fish & fowl as well as dogs. The Clip-On inserts are manufactured in Mexico.
I find it particularly interesting that the MSDS released by SC Johnson on 06/25/2008 does not even list metofluthrin in section 3 (Composition/Information on Ingredients) and in section 2 (Hazards Identification) it clearly states:
Route of exposure: "Eyes, skin, inhalation, ingestion".
On the SC Johnson MSDS dated 10/15/2008 section 2 states:
"Immediate Concerns: Harmful in contact with skin and if swallowed. May be harmful if inhaled. Avoid contact with skin, eyes and clothing. Avoid breathing vapors, mist or gas."
Considering the intended use of this product as directed and shown in advertisements for Off Clip-On is to envelope the user in a cloud of vapor, mist and/or gas, one can only be left to wonder if SC Johnson has even bothered to read their own MSDS for this product! The EPA report is downright scary.
I'm not telling you what to do but here are some links you can check out for yourself but I can assure you this **** will not be anywhere near my house ever again!
[url "http://www.epa.gov/opprd001/factsheets/metofluthrin.pdf"]http://www.epa.gov/...ets/metofluthrin.pdf[/url]
[url "http://www.pesticideinfo.org/Detail_Chemical.jsp?Rec_Id=PC40157"]http://www.pesticideinfo.org/...l.jsp?Rec_Id=PC40157[/url]
[url "http://www.sumitomo-chem.co.jp/cgi-bin/research/list_e.cgi?year=2005&number=02"]http://www.sumitomo-chem.co.jp/...r=2005&number=02[/url]
[url "http://www.scjohnson.ca/msds/OFF%21%20Clip-on%20Mosquito%20Repellent.pdf"]http://www.scjohnson.ca/...uito%20Repellent.pdf[/url]
[url "http://www.offprotects.com/clip-on-mosquito-repellent/"]http://www.offprotects.com/...-mosquito-repellent/[/url]
[url "http://www.offprotects.com/coupon/04-09-bogo/"]http://www.offprotects.com/coupon/04-09-bogo/[/url]
[signature]
