A Banned Biocide That Still Ships in Cheap Sachets
Dimethyl fumarate was used as an aggressive anti-mould agent in desiccant sachets tucked into shoes, leather goods and furniture, especially on humid trans-ocean routes. It works — and it harms people. DMF off-gasses inside the packaging, permeates the goods and causes painful contact dermatitis, chemical burns and respiratory irritation when a customer handles the product. After a wave of injuries, the European Commission issued an emergency measure in 2009 (Decision 2009/251/EC), later made permanent under REACH, prohibiting DMF in products and their packaging above a tiny trace limit.
For anyone importing into or selling within the EU, this makes “DMF-free” a hard gate, not a marketing nicety. Customs authorities test for it, retailers reject contaminated consignments, and a single positive result can condemn a shipment. The risk hides in the cheapest desiccant sachets from unvetted suppliers — the very component buyers tend not to scrutinise. BENZPACK removes that risk entirely: our calcium chloride and activated-clay desiccants are manufactured 100% DMF-free and nitrite-free, REACH-registered, and supplied with the documentation procurement and customs ask for.