Photo: Contributed

The CEO of a British Columbia non-profit that accidentally distributed toxic mothballs in more than 1,100 food bank hampers says he has no idea how the mishap happened.

Individually-wrapped camphor mothballs were mixed with candy and given to people in Port Moody, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and surrounding villages within the last two weeks.

Martin Wyant of Share Family and Community Services says the agency's Port Moody food bank has been doing the same work for 25 years and has never had an incident like this.

He says the organization is phoning people, sending out letters and trying to connect with homeless people who received the contaminated hampers.

Fraser Health has issued a notice that says anyone who has received those hampers should immediately discard the candy mixture and keep it away from children and pets.

It says camphor ingestion can cause vomiting, seizures, shortness of breath, abdominal discomfort and irritation or burning of the mouth and throat.