Vapona

An alternative term for the insecticide dichlorvos (DDVP), an organophosphate once widely used in stored-product protection. Vapona was formulated in slow-release strips and sprays for controlling flies and stored-food pests in warehouses, mills, and food premises. As an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, dichlorvos is acutely toxic and a suspected carcinogen, and its use in food areas has been heavily restricted or banned in many countries. Residues on foods and worker exposure drove the regulatory retreat. Modern stored-product protection favours integrated pest management — sanitation, monitoring, and targeted treatments — over broad organophosphate application.