Fumes in the Restroom

by Rhonda Ramsey,

P.O.V. Contributing Writer

I have been in restrooms where the smell was mildly nauseating. I have also walked into restrooms and instantly turned around and walked back out. But I cannot say that I have ever been treated for what I smelled or came into contact with.

In an article I read, I learned of a pretty scary situation at the Tegal airport in Berlin. The entire inner lobby, as well as terminal A, was closed because poisonous fumes had caused many people to become sick; 53 people were treated.

Those treated reportedly suffered nausea and sore eyes, caused by noxious gases coming from the toilet. Even the fire fighters who rushed to the scene were affected, and immediately became ill once they entered the room.

“Since around 7 am police officers from the forensic department have been at Tegel testing the air quality,” police spokesman Martin Dams told the website of Der Spiegel magazine. “A high level of ammonia was measured early this morning,” he added.

I also read that cleaners, by accident, mixed the wrong cleaners can cause this. I can remember cleaning around the house and becoming a bit dizzy from the fumes, but this sounds awful.

Here is a list of chemicals not to be mixed under any circumstances, from chemicals.about.com:

• Bleach with acid bowl toilet cleaners
• Bleach with ammonia
• Different brands of one type of product
• Highly alkaline products with highly acidic products
• Certain disinfectants with detergents

In cleaning, or walking into a building where chemicals have been used to disinfect, have you ever become so sick that you needed treatment? Do you have any experiences or chemicals to add to this list?

Sources: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20121020-45677.html
http://chemistry.about.com/od/healthsafety/a/dangeousmix.htm