Dave,

Would it be possible for you to assist me.

Our company does specialist crating, we used to have a Pest Control company fumigate the finished container, but this caused us major hassles, as we required it done on site and within minutes of finishing the manufacture of the crate.
These would be mostly for extremely urgent air freight and the 24 hour waiting period from the time they fumigated to when the cover could be lifted off, and the crate given to the client. Clients would not accept this delay.

Presently we purchase Heat Treated timber from a Timber Merchant who guaranteed the heat treatment process and provided a certificate from the Dept. of Agriculture.
We do not know if their guarantee has any validity when a problem arises.

We have today received a press release from SAPCA advising that there is no accredited agency able to claim that heat treated timber is in compliance.

At present we have a shipment which has been stopped in China with a claim that it is infested. We are paying for an investigation of compliance, but the client is naturally extremely annoyed as his shipment is impounded whilst this is investigated.

We must have a completely reliable system of fumigation and proof of fumigation and very quick turnaround.

Could you consult for us, and could you possibly make any suggestions on how we can achieve our objectives, which are that
1. We must be able to manufacture the crates and have it go out immediately.
2. No possibility of contamination, or infestation claim by any party, we must have legal evidence of compliance.

What is the period of time after Methyl bromide treatment, before the wood is no longer considered compliant. We have been advised that this is 15 years, is this correct?

Is there “Evidence” that wood has been treated with Methyl Bromide, how does an expert prove that the wood is in compliance?

Appreciate your answer as soon as possible.

Yours truly,


Yvonne Symons