Istanbul/Berlin – Tragedy on holiday. Hamburg parents Servet (38) and Çiğdem B. (27) died along with their children Kadir (6) and Masal (3) during a trip to Türkiye. A German Erasmus student in Istanbul and a Chinese student in Bali also lost their lives. Apparently because highly toxic substances against bedbugs were used in their accommodation. The investigation is ongoing.
Poison against bedbugs – can it also be used in Germany? Beds in Bali and Istanbul are treated with the toxic pesticide aluminum phosphide. This agent is also approved in Germany, confirms a report from the Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety dated January 9 2018. However: Not for pest control in hotel beds – this is strictly prohibited in the EU – but for storing food.
Servet (38), Çiğdem (†27) and their sons Masal (†3) and Kadir (†6) – they died of poisoning while on holiday
A spokesperson for the Federal Consumer Protection Office explained in BILD: “Aluminum phosphide is used as a plant protection agent in protecting stored products.” It is used in gas-tight silos when supplies such as corn, flour, rice or coffee are attacked by pests. For this purpose, it is laid in the form of pellets or tablets in gas-tight silos. “They react to humidity. Gas escapes,” the spokesperson explained.
Phosphine threatens human life
The gas is called phosphine – deadly to insects, but also to humans if used incorrectly. “The silo must be completely closed before it can be used due to its short-term danger,” the spokesperson said. The gas then evaporates by itself. Barely goes into the diet. The corn residue limit across the European Union is 0.07 micrograms per kilogram.
These tablets contain aluminum phosphide. They are housed in gas-tight silos to control pests
Lung doctor Dr. explains how dangerous this substance is, which is a compound made of aluminum and phosphorus. Cihan Çelik at Berliner Morgenpost: If a person inhales the gas, it acts like a cell poison. This can cause nausea, vomiting, stomach ache, cardiovascular disorders and multi-organ failure. The most complicated thing is that the substance does not smell chemically, but rather like garlic or fish. Only 20 to 40 milligrams per kilogram of body weight is considered life-threatening in humans.
Hotels in Germany rely on heat
Therefore, aluminum phosphide is taboo in German hotels. Instead of poison, heat or cold is used against bedbugs. Marco Müller, board member of the German Pest Control Association, told BILD: “In the thermal process, the room is heated to 55 degrees using an oven. The curtains are washed at 60 degrees or frozen at minus 20 degrees.”
And what if parasites are hiding in the socket? “Then diatomaceous earth powder can be sprinkled on. This will tear the skin of the pest and dry it out,” explains Müller.
How to protect yourself from bedbugs
According to Müller, if you want to make sure there’s nothing crawling around in your hotel, you should pay close attention: “Look for small black dirt spots on the bed frame. They look like marker dots. Never put suitcases on the bed, but instead use a shelf.” Otherwise, you can easily take the insects home as unwanted souvenirs.
Death in Istanbul: The hotel was evacuated, evidence was secured
