At 12:01 AM 3/17/00 -0500, you wrote:
>I wondered how much time I had taken off my life with enhaling those fumes.

I suggest to you and to BetterBee that the material safety data sheet (MSDS) be included in every package, it is not already in there. Formic Acid has a very noticeable smell which more or less serves as a warning and essentially prevents the inhalation of significant amounts of gas. It is not to be toyed with and can cause serious burns, but the unpleasant acrid smell is something you have to live with if you wish to use it.

>I placed the packages in a plastic tupperware container for now until I can think of another plan on what to do with those packets.

You might wish to store the pads in a heavy bucket. Many types of plastic are permeable, which allows gases to be absorbed and in some cases, pass right through. The smell will adhere to plastic and wood and takes a very long time to dissipate completely. However, Formic acid is not a pesticide, per se, and if used carefully could become one of our best tools against mites. I was as much put off by the smell as you, but I might mention that simply because something does or does not have a bad odor, you can't assume that is or is not safe. By the way, it can be neutralized by adding large amounts of water and bicarbonate of soda, until the pH is near to normal (it stops fizzing).
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Peter Borst
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http://www.people.cornell.edu/pages/plb6/
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