Some of my daily reads, including my go-to news outlet and my favorite design site, have been circulating recommendations for Thermacell systems, especially this week. I want to share again the information from the Xerces Society’s webinar, “The Truth About Mosquito Sprays: Investigating Their Impact on Pollinators” (April 2025) in which the Xerces scientists discussed coils, candles, and other environmental repellents in their Q&A. There was a question specifically about Thermacells, and I have a different perspective after hearing their responses.
Thermacell systems claim to be safe for people and pets. These systems use the same pyrethroids (class of synthetic pesticides) that abatement companies are spraying. Thermacell systems heat these chemicals and distribute them into the air. While the scientists did not study Thermacells directly (they studied abatement sprays and their levels of toxicity and drift in Decatur in 2023), they questioned the impact of distributing these chemicals into the environment in this way, where they settle in the area and those in their vicinity inhale the pyrethroids as the system is operating, especially concerning as some chemicals increase in toxicity with such temperature changes.
To hear their response, start watching at 56:00.
Always gather information, look at safety data (you can ask any company for Safety Data Sheets), and ask questions.