In 1983, the EPA suspended the use of EDB as a fumigant when low-level residues were found in groundwater and some grains. Today, EDB is principally used as a scavenger additive in leaded gasoline. It is also registered for use as a gas in termite and Japanese beetle control, beehive and vault fumigation, and spot fumigation of milling machinery. Because the odor of EDB may not be detected until concentrations are above the recommended workplace levels, careful monitoring is required to limit exposure. EDB is a severe skin and eye irritant.
Direct contact can result in skin blistering.
It can also be rapidly absorbed into the body through the skin in toxic amounts. Agricultural and food storage workers are at highest risk. Symptoms of poisoning include headache, depression and loss of appetite. One woman who ingested a fatal dose of 4.5 ml experienced rapid breathing, vomiting, and diarrhea. In rats, inhalation of small concentrations of EDB vapors depresses weight gain, and slightly higher levels damage the lungs.