Thermal fogging is widely carried out and accepted in Singapore. The practice has been going on for a long time and, on average, takes place at least once a month.

Although fogging a property once a month does not seem like it will do much harm to human health, one has to consider that Singapore is densely built.

Even if an area is fogged only once a month, neighbouring areas - both public and private properties - could be conducting their fogging at other times in the same month.

As tiny droplets of a mixture of insecticide and water can be carried by the wind, people could be exposed to fogging chemicals not just once a month but many times more.

We have been assured time and again that thermal fogging is not harmful to human health.

So convinced are most people that when fogging is being done, many households would simply leave their windows wide open.

Is thermal fogging really harmless, especially where small children and pregnant women are concerned?

Imagine the insecticide clinging onto garments, bedspreads, pillow cases and towels left out to dry.

And what about the insecticide falling on food and utensils? Would it then not be ingested?

Are there really no long-term effects on humans?

Grace Chua Siew Hwee (Madam)