In involved vehicles, the non-desiccated propellant that inflates the driver's or passenger's front airbag (model dependent) could absorb moisture and degrade. This is either due to deficiencies during the manufacturing process (alpha), or after prolonged exposure to high humidity and fluctuating high temperatures (beta).
It is important to note, moisture intrusion in affected inflator propellant is a result of exposure to: high humidity; and fluctuating high temperatures.
This means the environment (operating location of the vehicle) is a factor, as is the age of a vehicle when assessing the risk of the condition occurring.
If the inflator propellant degrades and the vehicle is involved in a collision, the airbag inflator can go off with too much explosive force, causing sharp metal fragments to shoot out and kill or seriously injure people in the vehicle.