Overview
Requiring physical or chemical modifications to the commodity that make it less vulnerable to infestation.
- Examples include kiln drying, varnishing or painting of wood and wood products, and designing sea containers to make them less likely to carry pests.
- Evaluating the efficacy of this measure requires evidence that the physical or chemical changes to the commodity reduces infestation risks to the required level.
- Modifications to the commodity that are standard commercial practices can be considered during pest risk assessment. Trade can also be restricted to commodities that have been modified in the approved way.
- Assurance can be achieved through record-keeping and audit of commodity modifications. Compliance with any processing requirements can be assessed at a pre-border inspection by authorised personnel, with oversight by the NPPO or relevant authority of the exporting jurisdiction.
Evidence to support efficacy
Scientific evidence is required that the chemical or physical changes to the commodity reduce the risk of infestation to the level required by the measure. These methods may need to consider the effects of the intervention when applied under operational conditions, and expected exposure levels to the pest.
Applying the measure
How it is used
A wide range of modifications to wood or wood products are available that can reduce their vulnerability to infestation. This includes kiln drying and painting or varnishing, which can be standard industry practices where reduced vulnerability to pests is a by-product. Such practices can be considered during pest risk assessment, and may result in particular wood products (such as painted timber) requiring less phytosanitary requirements.
The effects of sea container design on their vulnerability as a pest carrier has been studied. The design of the container under-surface, the design and materials used in the container floor, and the use of “non-stick” paint can all affect the likelihood of sea containers carrying pests and contaminants. However, the recognition of container design aspects as an entry condition is currently only considered for specific pests. For example, reefer containers (with steel floors) are exempt from Khapra beetle (Trogoderma granarium) treatment requirements in Australia.
Movement of seedlings may require them to be grown in substrate that limits the risk of pest movement, such as compressed peat or inert material like rockwool.
Methods have been proposed for fruit, for example the use of spays such as copper or kaolin clay that cover the commodity and prevent or disturb infestation. However, these are not typically applied as a phytosanitary measure because the risk reduction potential of these methods has not been quantified.
Use with other measures
A modify vulnerability measure may be used as part of phytosanitary systems approach, or within a set of measures to prevent infestation of the commodity post-production.
Similar measures
Modify vulnerability and the host or carrier measure reduce risk in a similar way by reducing the vulnerability of the commodity or carrier to infestation, but modify vulnerability requires a modification to the commodity.
When used in the field, the application of products such as kaolin clay and copper-based sprays may also be considered under other pest management tools.
Assurance of correct implementation
Any processes that are required to modify vulnerability may be a pre-export requirement and assessed through documentation and verification inspection on arrival or at a pre-border inspection by authorised personnel, with oversight by the NPPO or relevant authority of the exporting jurisdiction.