​Godwin Nutifafa Gidiglo PhD, Massey University: “Understanding mechanisms behind the toxicity of ethanedinitrile, an alternative fumigant to methyl bromide.”
 
Working with researchers at Massey University and the New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research, Godwin Gidiglo’s research investigated mechanisms behind differences in tolerance of two key forest beetle species to ethanedinitrile (EDN), a promising alternative treatment to methyl bromide. This research provides a better understanding of how EDN works against insects and how that can be used to develop effective treatment methods for log and timber products.

​Nurzhan Nursultanov PhD, University of Canterbury: “Joule heating of green Pinus radiata logs for phytosanitary purposes: An in-depth investigation by experimentation and computational modelling.”
 
Nurzhan Nursultanov was a PhD student and then a research engineer with the Electric Power Engineering Centre (EPECentre) at the University of Canterbury (UC). As a key member of the EPECentre research team, Nurzhan made a significant contribution to successfully proving the viability of Joule heating as a method for heating logs. By controlling the applied electrical power, voltage, and current, logs can be heated safely up to 75°C to kill biosecurity pests contained inside them. Nurzhan has developed a computer model to control the Joule heating treatment, which has been tested during multiple experimental trials carried on Pinus radiata and Eucalyptus nitens logs.

​Despite recent comments to the contrary, there is an alternative to methyl bromide as a biosecurity fumigant for forest products.
 
It is called ethanedinitrile (EDN). An application for approval was lodged with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) in July 2017.
 
Extensive research, including commercial scale tests, has been completed by STIMBR confirming EDN is effective against the three pests most commonly found with forest products exported from New Zealand.
 
The Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety, Hon Michael Wood approved the Safe Work Instrument for EDN in December 2020.
 
Once EPA approval is gained, then New Zealand government authorities can work with their counterparts in China and India to gain the necessary permissions for logs and timber products treated with EDN to enter those markets. 

The Environmental Protection Authority’s Decision-Making Committee (DMC) responsible for hearing the reassessment of methyl bromide has considered a further application from STIMBR for a time waiver for the introduction of recapture technology. The waiver of the 28 October 2020 deadline UNTIL 28 November 2021 is needed as the DMC has not yet decided on the reassessment of methyl bromide.
 
The EPA accepted an application from STIMBR seeking a modified reassessment of methyl bromide in April 2019.
 
The DMC’s decision on the waiver is supplementary to the more significant reassessment being undertaken into methyl bromide recapture.
 
The DMC’s Direction and Minute WGT030 detailing the decision on the waiver can be read here.

​Promising research findings about the efficacy of Ethanedinitrile (EDN) have been published in the September 2020 issue of the scientific journal, Journal of Stored Products Research.
 
This research, commissioned by STIMBR, was undertaken by the New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited. The work was funded by STIMBR and EDN’s manufacturer Draslovka along with co-funding from other partners.
 
Before forest products are exported, the importing country’s phytosanitary treatment requirements must be met. India and China are New Zealand’s two major markets for pine logs. Both countries require methyl bromide as a treatment. While China allows phosphine fumigation and debarking as well as methyl bromide, India only permits methyl bromide. STIMBR seeks to identify suitable alternative phytosanitary treatments to methyl bromide as it is an ozone-depleting substance. EDN is not an ozone depleting substance nor is it a greenhouse gas.
 
Prior to the necessary extensive testing of EDN (the testing required hundreds of thousands of beetles of known stage of development), scientists needed to work out how to breed in the laboratory three beetle species most associated with radiata pine. In ground-breaking research, New Zealand scientists were able to develop protocols that enable large numbers of fit for purpose insects to be bred in the laboratory. This system ensures that any life stage of each species can be supplied when required in batches of five hundred, or more, on the same day for testing.
 
The highlights of that research are:

• EDN was successfully tested in extensive laboratory tests as an alternative to methyl bromide for the control of forest pests associated with export pine logs.
• Commercial scale tests confirmed that EDN met the stringent standards for it to be acceptable as a phytosanitary treatment.
• The data has been provided to the Chinese and Indian government agencies for their consideration and approval.
• The Environmental Protection Authority is processing an application to enable the use of EDN as an alternative to methyl bromide in New Zealand.

 
The full article, Laboratory toxicity and large-scale commercial validation of the efficacy of ethanedinitrile, a potential alternative fumigant to methyl bromide, to disinfest New Zealand Pinus radiata export logs, can be accessed here:
 
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022474X20302630?dgcid=author
 
Scientists elsewhere in the world are also reporting excellent success when evaluating EDN as an alternative phytosanitary treatment for forest products.

The New Zealand Institute of Economic Development today released a ground-breaking report, showing that New Zealand’s economy would lose up to $11.4 billion without crop protection products – and that crops would lose 30 percent of their value.

The report covers forestry, pasture, horticulture, field crops and vegetable production.

Agcarm chief executive, Mark Ross, says the report highlights the importance of the crop protection industry to New Zealand’s economy.

“Not only does the industry have an important part to play in supporting the economy, it is also vital for producing safe food and protecting our environment,” says Ross.

Crop protection products have a far-reaching impact on our land-based sectors. “Without these products, horticulture, for example, would lose 75% of the value of its crops. A severely reduced kiwifruit production would have resulted from the 2010 PSA outbreak too,” adds Ross.

From managing damaging pests and diseases, through to research and disposal, the industry is committed to the responsible use of crop protection products, including ensuring that any waste plastic containers are recycled and repurposed through the Agrecovery programme.

Our industry focuses on stewardship and ensuring that there continues to be a variety of new products to offer pest control solutions for growers and farmers. Agrichemicals that are more environmentally-friendly, more effective and more targeted allow farmers to better control target pests, while protecting human health and allowing beneficial flora and fauna to prosper.

Click here to access the report

The Environmental Protection Authority is seeking submissions on an application for the reassessment of the hazardous substance methyl bromide.
Methyl bromide is used as a fumigant in the quarantine and pre-shipment treatment of logs, produce, flowers and other goods.
The EPA’s chemical reassessment programme reviews hazardous substances already approved in New Zealand. Under New Zealand law, a chemical's approval does not expire. Reassessment is the only formal legal process we can use to review the approval of a chemical classed as a hazardous substance.
In April 2018, the EPA decided that grounds existed for a reassessment of methyl bromide, following an application by Stakeholders in Methyl Bromide Reduction Inc (STIMBR).
Grounds to reassess were granted based on data that showed New Zealand’s use of the fumigant has increased from over 400 tonnes a year in 2010, to more than 600 tonnes in 2016. One of the criteria to meet grounds for reassessment under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act is a significant change in the quantity of substance imported into, or manufactured in, New Zealand.
Earlier this year, STIMBR applied for a reassessment of the approval for methyl bromide.
The EPA is processing this application as a modified reassessment. This means that the reassessment will only consider specific aspects of the approval, such as the required controls.
The approval to import or manufacture methyl bromide cannot be revoked in this type of reassessment.
Users of methyl bromide in New Zealand are required to recapture and safely dispose of the gas used in their fumigation activity from October 2020. The timeframe was set by the 2010 reassessment decision, to allow for the development, acquisition and installation of suitable equipment for recapture.
Submissions on the reassessment application close at 5.00 pm on 29 August 2019.
Visit the consultation page for more information, including submission guidelines and a timeline.
See information on the chemical reassessment programme

Congratulations to Mark Self and his team at Genera on their recent success in the Export New Zealand Bay of Plenty Awards 2018.

Genera won the Excellence in Innovation Award for its work supporting the New Zealand forest industry through the introduction of phosphine as an in-transit fumigant and the development of methyl bromide scrubbing technologies.

The introduction of phosphine in 2001 has reduced the need for methyl bromide by close to 2,000 tonnes per annum in 2018 – about 80% less than what would be needed if phosphine was not available.

​Recent developments of liquid scrubbing technologies, for use at the end of fumigations prior to venting, have further reduced methyl bromide emissions. From 2020 onward, scrubbing technologies will need to be used in conjunction with methyl bromide fumigations.