146-2020 - Enhanced brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) heat treatment arrangements

10 September 2020

Who does this notice affect?

This notice affects biosecurity industry participants (BIPs) who heat treat imported consignments for BMSB concerns. These are BIPs that hold a class 12.3 approved arrangement (AA).

What has changed?

The department is introducing additional conditions to better manage the risk of BMSB escaping from shipping containers when BIPs are interacting with the consignment in the shipping container prior to the commencement of the heat treatment.

This involves varying BIPs’ current class 12.3 AA conditions relating to the placement of temperature sensors in the consignment, as well as carrying out of any in-container remedial action necessary to make the consignment suitable for heat treatment.

These additional conditions – outlined in Appendix 1 – will only apply to BMSB heat treatments.

This variation will allow class 12.3 BIPs to conduct in-container remedial action to make the consignment suitable for heat treatment with no need to contact the department.

Next Steps

The department will contact all class 12.3 BIPs to notify them of the department’s intention to vary their AA to incorporate these conditions. BIPs will have two options, as shown below.

Option 1:

If the BIPs do not respond, then the department will issue a ‘notice of variation’ that formally advises implementation of the variation and the new additional conditions. The BIP will then be authorised to conduct BMSB heat treatments and will be expected to comply with the additional conditions added to their AA (as well as all the other conditions in their AA). The BIP will be audited against these additional conditions at their next audit.

Option 2:

If BIPs respond (by email) to ‘opt out’, then the additional conditions for carrying out BMSB heat treatments will not be added. The department will issue a ‘notice of variation’ to include a condition that BMSB heat treatments must not be carried out under the AA.

Regardless of which option BIPs select, they can apply at any time to vary their AA to add or remove the ability to carry out BMSB heat treatments.

Further information

For further information, please contact aa.canberra@awe.gov.au.

Appendix 1: Proposed additional approved arrangement conditions for in-container activities prior to BMSB heat treatment

The accredited person must not unpack the container unless the biosecurity direction explicitly states that unpack is authorised.
Where the accredited person determines that unpack of the container is required to make the goods subject to biosecurity control suitable for treatment and the biosecurity direction does not authorise an unpack of the container, the accredited person must immediately:
1. close the container doors, and
2. notify the:
  1. department at the email address specified in the biosecurity direction comments, and the
  2. biosecurity industry participant for the approved arrangement site and advise them that treatment cannot occur and that a biosecurity direction for an unpack of the container is required.
The accredited person must use equipment (e.g. sheet, mesh or false door) to prevent the escape of insects and other arthropods while the container doors are open.
The equipment (e.g. sheet, mesh or false door) used to prevent the escape of insects and other arthropods from an open container must be:
1. secured to the container door opening,
2. secured around the entire door opening in a way that ensures no gaps between the equipment and container through which insects and other arthropods could escape,
3. in place before or immediately after the container doors are opened or after the container doors are reopened, and
4. treated with the target risk container.
Where mesh is used to prevent the escape of insects and other arthropods from an open container, the mesh:
1. aperture must be a maximum of 1.6mm diameter, and the
2. strand thickness must be a minimum of 0.16mm.
Where the accredited person detects live or dead insects and other arthropods inside the container prior to, or during the securing of equipment to the container door opening to prevent the escape of insects and other arthropods, the accredited person must immediately:
1. apply knockdown spray for a minimum of 12 seconds to the inside of the container,
2. close the container doors, and
3. apply knockdown spray, collect and secure any live insects and other arthropods that have escaped the container
  
  then, the accredited person must:
4. ensure the container doors remain closed for a minimum of 30 minutes, then
5. inspect for any live insects and other arthropods within the container immediately after the container doors are reopened, and
6. repeat the above sequence until no more live mobile insects or other arthropods are detected.
The accredited person must ensure that personnel and equipment are inspected and free of live insects and other arthropods prior to exiting the container.
The accredited person must secure any insects or other arthropods that have escaped the container in a sealed plastic bag or container (e.g. jar, vial).
If any live insects or other arthropods escape the container (including if subsequently captured), the accredited person must immediately notify the department by phoning the See. Secure. Report. hotline on 1800 798 636.
Impervious materials (e.g. shrink wrapping) that are removed from the goods subject to biosecurity control must:
1. be contained within the treatment enclosure and be treated with the container, and must'
2. not be bundled tightly or wrapped in a way that prevents gas/air flow over the all surfaces of the impervious materials.
Following in-container remedial action, the accredited person must:
1. take photographs that clearly show the treatment suitability of the goods subject to biosecurity control, including:
  1. free air space around the goods subject to biosecurity control,
  2. any slashing of impervious materials,
  3. any removed impervious materials, and must
2. maintain these photographs as records associated with the treatment, and
3. provide these photographs to the department on request.
The accredited person must clearly state that in-container remedial action has been performed on the record of treatment that is subsequently be submitted to the department in accordance with the requirements and conditions of the relevant approved arrangement treatment class.

Note:

The requirement in biosecurity directions for BMSB treatment to notify the department if the consignment is unsuitable for treatment will be taken to have been met if the accredited person indicates, in the comments field of the record of treatment, that in-container remedial action has been performed (see condition 12 above).

Accordingly, the accredited person is authorised to undertake in-container remedial action prior to heat treatment without having first notified the department. Notification must instead be provided on the record of treatment provided to the department following treatment in accordance with condition 12 above.

Definitions:

For the purpose of the conditions outlined above:

relevant treatment methodologyis defined as:

For heat treatment – the Heat treatment methodology

accredited person means the accredited person employed by the biosecurity industry participant providing heat treatment services under a class 12.3 approved arrangement.