GUIDELINES TO METHYL BROMIDE FUMIGATION FOR EXPORT AND IMPORT CONSIGNMENTS

Ms. I K Warshamana, Head, Treatment Technology Division, National Plant Quarantine Service

New Procedure of MeBr Fumigations

  Overall responsibility of coordinating the

monitoring of MeBr fumigation activitieshas been entrusted to the Deputy Director

of NPQS by Director /SCPPC letter no: SCPPC/AFAS/TECH 2012

dated 03.02.2012.

Duly filled official request made to DD/ NPQS3 days prior to shipment.

New Procedure of MeBr Fumigations

DD/NPQS identifies whether fumigation is an official requirement of the destination country

Decision making-According to Montreal Protocol

Decision of rejection or permission

Whether to use MeBr

If accepted fumigation Standards are specified

DosageDuration

Or alternative

DD/NPQS will arrange an officer to be sent for supervision If necessary

authorize the RP-8 if the process is carried out with recommended conditions

Fumigation done in a container yard/ shippers-go-downs, properly degassed and then transported to seaport

Fumigation RequestFormat

Errors Incomplete requests Country of destination is not mentioned The name of the commodity- Confused… Whether you need supervision Purpose of MeBr fumigation- QPS or OTHER Date of degassing is not mentioned Date of export……. ???? Packing material – state the condition Contact information of the person who

handle… Proposed time of fumigation

…………..necessary

Country of destination - not indicated

How do we find destination country requirements!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Proposed date of export – not indicated We get huge number of requests per day How do we prioritize!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

INCOMPLETE REQUESTS

Name of the treatment provider – not given

How do we find the proper treatment provider to send our recommendation

Date of fumigation and Degassing- Not indicated This is very important in monitoring the fumigation activities Because “DEGASSING” -is a vital activity in fumigation -AQIS needs monitoring of MeBr levels @ certain intervals of the fumigation process

Time of fumigation is also importantif you need fumigation supervision

“Packing material” and “packing status” is very important

Some packing material areimpermeable to MeBr

“Compactness” determines the exposure level to the MeBr

treatment and hence the required dosage

Please!!!!!!!Mark whether you

need supervision or not

How do you know whether you need supervision or not

If the phytosanitory certificate should certify that your commodity is fumigated with MeBr

YES you need supervision

If you need supervisionyou have to inform NPQS (Main office), Katunayake

In the MeBr fumigation request :“Commodity” means

The commodity that you are going to fumigate

If you need to fumigate wooden pellet/ packing material

That is the “commodity” for MeBr fumigation

In general (except for special requirements), food stuff are not fumigated with poisonous MeBr

If you do not clearly indicate the commodity, your request may be rejected

Example:You are exporting food stuff in cardboard boxes

Your export commodity: food stuffYour fumigation commodity: cardboard box

Contact number has not mentioned

!!!!! Do you aware of the option“purpose of MeBr use”???

Why it is so important ????

MOST OF YOU send us the request on the same day that the fumigation activity is scheduled

If there’s any problem we need to clarify, we have to contact you

with respect to methyl bromideQuarantine purposes

-means the treatment is done to prevent the introduction, establishment and/or spread of quarantine pests

- to ensure their official control (Official control : activities performed /authorized by, a

national authority of plant, animal, environmental protection or health)

-to meet the official requirements of the importing country or the exporting country

(Official requirements :are requirements stated by, a national authority of plant, animal, environmental, health /stored product)

Pre-shipment purposes-are non-quarantine applications done within

21 days prior to export

OTHER!!!!Other purposes:

If not a Quarantine purpose or pre-shipment purposeOTHER

If it is Quarantine or pre-shipment purpose-the import permit gives you the relevant guidelines

If you have a copy of Import permit or any other official guideline of MeBr fumigation requirement Please attach it

with the request

That will be a great help for us in the future as well !!!

A complete request makes our job easy

A complete requestCarefully filled to give us maximum information

This exporter has attached the destination Country requirementsWith the request

-Made our responsibility less-troublesome

-Made decision making easy

-Quick response to the exporter

Country Requirements

The NPPOs of the importing countries were contacted to get their MeBr fumigation requirements.

Following are the comments received…….

Wood (except for logs) & Coir products

For all countries48g/ m3 24 hrs

Germany

Methyl bromide treatment is banned They do not require the import

consignments to be fumigated with MeBr

Methyl bromide fumigation is not a requirement for Germany (for the plants and plant products )

Japan Does not require Metheyl Bromide fumigation

for import consignments from Sri Lanka.

If quarantine pests are detected by Japan NPPO, the consignment should be subject to quarantine measures

Disinfestations (Methyl Bromide fumigation)Destructions (incineration) or Re-shipping

Get your consignment tested and confirmed, for absence of pests by submitting a sample NPQS prior to the export

Peru Methyl Bromide fumigation requirements

for some of the commodities imported from Sri Lanka to Peru as follows:

 

1. Cinamomum verum (cinnamon),

natural dry whole bark:and

2. Syzygium aromaticum (clove), natural dry flower buds:

Methyl Bromide : 40 g/m³ for 12h (T ≥ 32°C)56 g/m³ for 12h (27°C ≤ T ≤ 31°C) 72 g/m³ for12h (21°C ≤ T ≤ 26°C)

 

Peru Peumus boldus, (boldo) natural

dry leaves: Methyl Bromide :

64 g/m³ for 12h (T ≥ 32°C)96 g/m³ for 12h (27°C ≤ T ≤ 31°C) 128 g/m³ for12h (21°C ≤ T ≤ 26°C)

Straw, dry fiber: Methyl Bromide :

40 g/m³ for 12h (T ≥ 32°C)56 g/m³ for 12h (27°C ≤ T ≤ 31°C) 72 g/m³ for12h (21°C ≤ T ≤ 26°C)

Mauritus

Following products are imported from Sri Lanka:(i) Dehusked coconuts(ii) Cocopeat abd derived products(iii) Ekel brooms

Methyl Bromide48g/m3 for 24 hours over 21oC

Australia

According to AQIS standards at 210C or above

Vegetables - 32g/ m3 for 24 hrs Cotton - 32g/ m3 for 24 hrs Wooden pallets – 48g/ m3 for 24 hrs Coir - 48g/ m3 for 24 hrs Sesame seed - 80g/ m3 for 48 hrs Treatment for Trogoderma granarium (Khapra

beetle)– 80 g/ m3 for 48 hrs

Giant African snail – 128 g/ m3 for 24 hrs

Switzerland

Switzerland phased out MeBr for QPS purposes anymore

Heat treatment is performed It is up to you to choose the appropriate

method

However, standard for MeBr treatment for wood packaging material: phytosanitary measures as specified in the ISPM-15

USA & CanadaUSA Cinnamon, Cardamom ( any spice) -

32g/m3 - 2 hrs Wooden pallets - According to ISPM 15 Coir - 48 g/m3 24 hrs

Canada Wheat granules/ Coffee/ Cocoa -48 g/m3

24 hrs spices- 24g/m3 16 hrs For Khapra beetle – 96 g/m3 24 hrs

Ireland

The use of Methyl Bromide is banned in the EU for a number of years and therefore the EU does not require the treatment of any product with methyl bromide in order to be permitted entry. However there is no problem in accepting products treated with Methyl Bromide from outside the EU if used elsewhere for quarantine purposes.

Slovakia

Slovakia, as other EU member states, accept MrBr treated pallets, but the use of MB within the territory of EU is not allowed.

  The conditions of MB treatment should

be in accordance with ISPM 15.

Liberia

Liberia has stop the use of MeBr as chemical treatment for all agricultural commodities intended for export, import and internal use in the agro-sector since 2010.

The alternative chemical for fumigation is "Phostoxin 56% (aluminum phosphates)".

Mozambique

Use of Methyl bromide fumigation is approved for quarantine purpose.

Therefore wood package and pallets materials imported to Mozambique are required to be fumigated with MeBr or

Heat treatment according to ISPM Nr 15 from IPPC.

When we get information from other countries

- We will summarize the data- Publish the list in our web site

www.agridept.gov.lk- Send you the e-link via email

(Please give us your contact details)

For any clarification

Contact us: Deputy Director,

National Plant Quarantine Service,Canada Friendship Road,Katunayake

011-2252028 or 011-2252029

011-2253709

npqssl@gmail.com

THANK YOU