PARADICHLOROBENZENE

AND

NAPHTHALENE

We at KMB Maintenance use the products above to control the scent of urine in men's bathrooms, for those clients that want to have them. We call them Urinal Pucks, or Urinal Mints. We use 1 to 1 1/2 per urinal.  We try to keep the OSHA STANDARD of 75 ppm (450 mg/m3.) For those concerned about health hazard we can install and maintain timed aerosol sprays.  For more information simply call us! 514-812-5111

We at KMB Maintenance believe properly cleaned and maintained restrooms requires little or no pucks at all, but if you want them, below is a list of possible side effects.

Paradichlorobenzene C6H4C12  

Paradichlorobenzene is a white solid crystal with a wet oily surface. It is volatile and gives off penetrating mothball-like odors. Paradichlorobenzene is commonly found in mothballs, moth crystals, and in diaper, toilet, and room deodorizers.

Inhalation may result in headache, swollen eyes, stuffy head, anorexia (loss of appetite), nausea, vomiting, and throat and eye irritation.  With prolonged skin contact, allergies and skin irritation have been reported.  Symptoms from ingestion include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, liver and kidney damage, and methemoglobianemia (which interferes with the uptake of oxygen).

The lack of convincing reports of human and animal toxicity supports the notion that paradichlorobenzene has a lower order of acute toxicity than naphthalene, which is also commonly used as a moth repellent.

Naphthalene C10H8  

Naphthalene is a natural component of fossil fuels such as petroleum and coal; it is also formed when natural products such as wood or tobacco are burned. Naphthalene is a white solid at room temperature.  It is, however, very volatile and sublimates easily into a gas which has a characteristic odor.

Exposure to naphthalene can cause pain when urinating, low urine output (may stop completely), blood in the urine, shortness of breath, increased heart rate, low blood pressure, jaundice (yellow eyes and skin), dermatitis, eye irritation, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, drowsiness, confusion, excitement, malaise, coma, profuse sweating, fever, anemia (due to damage or destruction of red blood cells), liver damage, convulsions, and coma.

Naphthelene poisoning may occur by ingestion, skin and/or eye contact, inhalation, or skin absorption.