Eight pest-control companies shut down in Dubai this year

Eight pest-control companies in Dubai were shut down in the first six months of the year for using banned pesticides inside homes.

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Eight pest-control companies in Dubai were shut down in the first six months of the year for using banned pesticides inside homes, The National's Arabic-language sister newspaper, Al Ittihad, reports today.

There are 112 registered companies in the emirate, said Motahar Hussain, an expert at Dubai Municipality's public health section.

Mr Hussain said the municipality had been clear about pesticides that are for outdoor use only, such as aluminium phosphide.

Improper use of the pesticide has resulted in four deaths over the past five weeks.

Farah Ebrahim, 11, died in a Sharjah hospital last week from heart failure after exposure to the pesticide, also called Bomb.

A Bangladeshi girl, 3, and her eight-month-old sister died in Ajman on June 1 and a Filipina beauty salon worker, 35, died in Fujairah on June 12.