Manufactured wooden articles

Tips for minimising the quarantine risk of manufactured wooden articles

Importers can reduce the delays with importing manufactured wooden articles (e.g. furniture, carvings, musical instruments, wooden ornaments, toys etc) by ensuring that the articles are free of quarantine pests and diseases and treated according to Australia’s import requirements. Attention to these details will assist clearance by quarantine and minimise the risk of exotic pests entering our country.

A vital part of quarantine security is managing the risk of incursions of exotic pests and diseases by identifying and eliminating the risk before entering Australia.

What are the risks associated with manufactured wooden articles?

The quarantine risk of manufactured wooden articles varies depending on the country of origin, degree of processing, quality of the timber used, treatments applied and mode of transport. The types of risks associated with manufactured wooden articles are:

• Insects (borers, termites etc)
• Pathogens (fungi, nematodes, viruses and bacteria, etc)
• Bark which can provide a hiding place for insects and can trap moisture that helps fungal growth
• Soil that can harbour quarantine pests such as bacteria and snail eggs; and
• Other plant and animal materials such as leaves, animal residues

Choosing good quality timber for manufactured wooden articles

Good quality wooden articles have less chance of infestation or contamination compared to low quality articles. Choosing good quality treated timbers for the manufacture of wooden articles helps to minimise the risk of infestation.

Country of origin

Try and choose where you source your manufactured wooden articles from. Some countries such as South East Asia and Africa have a wide range of timber pests, many of which are exotic to Australia, whereas some other countries (e.g. New Zealand) have a similar quarantine status to Australia.

Impervious coating and lacquers

Manufactured wooden articles that are to be fumigated with methyl bromide must be fumigated before any surface coating with paint or lacquer is applied. Most surface coatings prevent or adversely affect the adequate penetration of methyl bromide. Articles that are wrapped with plastic or aluminium foil, must have the impervious material opened, cut, perforated or removed prior fumigation.

Kiln Drying

Dry timber with a moisture content of below 12 percent does not provide suitable living conditions for the green timber insects and fungi. You can reduce the quarantine risk when your timber commodity arrives in Australia by ensuring that your timber commodity is kiln dried and kept dry during storage and shipping.

Fumigation

Ensure that your treatment provider maintains the correct treatment dose of the fumigant and correct duration of the fumigation. This will ensure a successful treatment. Consider using a fumigator accredited under Fumigation Accreditation Scheme (AFAS) or and Approved Offshore Treatment Providers for Ethylene Oxide Treatment see Australia’s Quarantine Treatments and Fumigants.

Precautions you can take after your timber is treated

• Cover the furniture
• Store in a clean storage area
• Store furniture segregated from other commodity to avoid re-infestation
• Avoid damp weather conditions inside the storage area

For more information about importing wooden items:

View: Import Conditions (ICON) for specific timber information

Email: Timber Imports

Web: Timber

Contact the AQIS Timber and Timber Products National Co-ordination Centre: Phone +61 03 8318 6929 (9 am – 4 pm weekdays)