21
May
Fire Hazards and Toxic Combustion of Herbicide Products Increase Threats to Health and Environment
(Beyond Pesticides, May 21, 2025) An assessment of the fire hazards of four herbicide products in Science of The Total Environment finds high fire and toxic gas emission risk, particularly in 2,4-D-based weed killer products. The authors note that “Inert [nondisclosed] ingredients significantly influence flammability and toxic gas generation in fires,†and the combustion of these products “releases hazardous gases and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.†These results highlight the fire hazards associated with herbicides, as well as the emission of hazardous substances into the atmosphere, which can threaten environmental and public health.  The authors summarize: “[T]he aim of this work is to raise awareness of the fire hazards posed by the storage of pesticides and what effect the ‘inert’ substances in them have. In the past, large fires have occurred around the world, e.g., in Basel (1986), Arkansas (1998), and in Eastern Virginia at the Bayer CropScience plant (2008). It is important to note that in addition to large factories and warehouses, fires can affect small crop protection product stores and local wholesalers.†(See related coverage on the 2023 train derailment, fire, and subsequent release of chemicals here.) The U.S. Fire Administration estimates 344,600 residential building fires nationally, based on […]
