Re: Moth balls

["Mary W. Ballard" <BallardM@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dear Laura Schaefer--Wow!  1) Have you tried letting the refrigerator heat up--opening the door and raising the temperature lightly? Mothballs (both types) are carried away into the atmosphere at higher temperatures; the refrigerator is really an air tight container. 2) Some materials seem to adsorb mothballs forever, like waxes or varnishes, woods. It may be that your gasketry (the rubber around the edges that form the seals need replacement. 3) This issue of AIC News  (July, 2001) has a new chart on the toxicity of mothballs. Have you seen it? We (AIC Health & Safety Committee) did an update. The article may spur your efforts. Mothballs have oral toxicity, although it is probably much higher than the entire quantity of mothballs that were originally in your fridge. The threshold perceptible odor is quite low--I dislike using one's nose as a test indicator, but it is very sensitive in this case. Let me know how this all works out! Best wishes, Mary Ballard

>>> Laura16301@xxxxxxx 07/16/01 10:51PM >>>
I read an article from a few years back about moth balls.  I hope you are the 
same person and can help me.  I did a really dumb thing and put moth balls in 
my refrigerator when it went into storage fro 6 weeks (I ran out of baking 
soda).  Well the frig still smells.  Fod smells and tastes like it too.  We 
have emptied the frig and put baking soda, charcoal, cleaned with lemon juice 
etc.  Not quite sure what to do next.  Any ideas before getting rid of the 
frig?  

Thank you.

Laura Schaefer