The Dangerous Chemicals Lurking Inside Shipping Containers

The New Zealand customs authority helped with the study. Staff used probes to get gas samples from 490 sealed containers. The concentrations of compounds changed in real time as the containers were opened and the air inside was allowed to mix with the outside air.

There were a lot of nasty substances. 3.5 percent of the sealed containers were found to have the compound methyl bromide in them. They found a number of chemicals in 81 percent of the containers. There are a number of unpleasant symptoms caused by exposure to ethylene oxide. Formaldehyde can cause irritation in the lungs and can be a cause of cancer.

Some of the measured concentrations appeared high enough to cause an acute reaction that causes immediate symptoms. It is uncommon for a worker to come into contact with toxic gases at such high levels. There is a risk from exposure to low concentrations. It is possible that chronic contact with these chemicals can increase the risk of diseases. There isn't much research on the risks of chemicals in cargo containers.

It needs more attention than it is getting.

A toxicologist who was a peer reviewer for the study agrees with her assessment.

It is an unnecessary risk because you can easily address it. Better air quality is all it takes.

A few years ago, a group of people were called to look at a container. Inside the container was a blue bag with white powder. The air he analyzed had a concentration of phosphine that was fatal.

To protect dockworkers, a device that connects to an extract fan and attach to the existing holes on the sides of most containers has been designed. Experiments show that once the device is turned on, the concentration of harmful gases plummets.

A reduction of 90 percent of the volatile contaminants can be achieved in an hour. He says that the Swedish customs authority uses the contraption.

Martin Cobbald, managing director of Dealey Environmental, an environmental services firm in the United Kingdom, said that there should be more awareness of the dangers of exposure to harmful gases in shipping containers.

He says that his firm doesn't do as much as it should for a variety of people.