Treatments will be developed or adopted by the biosecurity service as part of the pest management phase of pest risk analysis. Currently, only two treatments are considered as international standards and have been approved as a result of the adoption of ISPM #15 Wood packaging material. Appendix E lists these treatments.

This section lists the steps for a number of treatment procedures (phytosanitary measures) that are necessary to deal with the phytosanitary risk that quarantine pests pose. It deals with the fumigation of commodities, including the procedures that are conducted by biosecurity officers themselves, or as supervisors of fumigations undertaken by third parties, such as private companies. The AQIS Treatment standard for fumigation is also provided for reference.

In general, biosecurity officers at the point of entry or exit will be required to undertake a limited number of treatments, which include:

• Disinsection of aircraft
• Fumigation – Methyl bromide, in chamber, vault or sheet.

Fumigation and other treatments are dangerous activities, so be aware of all the safety precautions that are required for these activities.

Goods that should not be fumigated with methyl bromide:

•           butter, lard and fats
•           bonemeal, charcoal and cinder blocks
•           furs, felt, horsehair articles, feather pillows, writing paper and other papers with high sulphur content
•           iodised salts, salt blocks containing sulphur or its compounds
•           leather goods, particularly kid leather
•           photographic chemicals, prints and blueprints
•           rubber goods, particularly sponge and foam rubber and upholstered furniture
•           soybean flour, whole wheat flour, other high protein flour and baking powders
•           woollens, angora, soft yarns, sweaters and viscose rayon fabrics.

The below outlines the procedures and the use of equipment for the following:

• Small chamber fumigation
• Sheet fumigation
• Audit of fumigation by third party provider
• Destruction by incineration
• Sterilisation
• Deep burial