1. Guidelines to Methyl Bromide Fumigation for Export and Import Consignments
Ms. I K Warshamana,
Head,
Treatment Technology Division, National Plant Quarantine Service

2. New Procedure of MeBr Fumigations
Overall responsibility of coordinating the monitoring of MeBr fumigation activities
has been entrusted to the Deputy Director of NPQS by Director /SCPPC
letter no: SCPPC/AFAS/TECH 2012
dated

3. New Procedure of MeBr Fumigations
Whether to use MeBr
If accepted fumigation Standards are specified
Dosage
Duration
Or alternative
DD/NPQS identifies
whether fumigation
is an official requirement
of the destination country
Duly filled official request made to DD/ NPQS
3 days prior to shipment.
DD/NPQS will arrange an officer to be sent for supervision
If necessary
Fumigation done in a container yard/ shippers-go-downs, properly degassed and then transported to seaport
authorize the RP-8 if the process is carried out with recommended conditions
Decision of rejection or permission
Decision making-
According to Montreal Protocol

4. Fumigation Request Format

5. Errors Incomplete requests Country of destination is not mentioned
The name of the commodity- Confused…
Whether you need supervision
Purpose of MeBr fumigation- QPS or OTHER
Date of degassing is not mentioned
Date of export……. ????
Packing material – state the condition
Contact information of the person who handle…
Proposed time of fumigation …………..necessary

6. INCOMPLETE REQUESTS Date of fumigation and Degassing - Not indicated
This is very important in monitoring the fumigation activities
Because
“DEGASSING
” -is a vital activity in fumigation
-AQIS needs monitoring of MeBr certain intervals of the fumigation process
Country of destination - not indicated
How do we find destination country
requirements!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Proposed date of export – not indicated
We get huge number of requests per day
How do we prioritize!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
INCOMPLETE REQUESTS
Name of the treatment provider – not given
How do we find the proper treatment
provider to send our recommendation
Time of fumigation is also important
if you need fumigation supervision

7. If you need supervision you have to inform NPQS (Main office),
Please!!!!!!!
Mark whether you need supervision or not
How do you know whether you need supervision or not
If the phytosanitory certificate should certify that your commodity is fumigated with MeBr
YES you need supervision
Some packing material are
impermeable to MeBr
“Compactness” determines
the exposure level to the MeBr
treatment and
hence the required dosage
If you need supervision
you have to inform
NPQS (Main office),
Katunayake
“Packing material” and
“packing status” is
very important

8. In general (except for special requirements),
If you need to fumigate wooden pellet/ packing material 
That is the “commodity” for MeBr fumigation
Example:
You are exporting food stuff in cardboard boxes
Your export commodity: food stuff
Your fumigation commodity: cardboard box
In general (except for special requirements),
food stuff are not fumigated with poisonous MeBr
If you do not clearly indicate the commodity,
your request may be rejected
In the MeBr fumigation request :
“Commodity” means
The commodity that you are going to fumigate

9. that the fumigation activity is scheduled
Contact number has not
mentioned
Why it is so important ????
MOST OF YOU send us the
request on the same day
that the fumigation activity
is scheduled
If there’s any problem we need
to clarify, we have to contact
you
!!!!! Do you aware of the option
“purpose of MeBr use”???

10. with respect to methyl bromide
Quarantine purposes
-means the treatment is done to prevent the introduction, establishment and/or spread of quarantine pests
- to ensure their official control
(Official control : activities performed /authorized by, a national authority of plant, animal, environmental protection or health)
-to meet the official requirements of the importing country or the exporting country
(Official requirements :are requirements stated by, a national authority of plant, animal, environmental, health /stored product)
Pre-shipment purposes
-are non-quarantine applications done within 21 days prior to export

11. That will be a great help for us in the future as well !!!
OTHER!!!!
Other purposes:
If not a Quarantine purpose or pre-shipment purposeOTHER
If it is Quarantine or pre-shipment purpose
-the import permit gives you the relevant guidelines
If you have a copy of Import permit or any other official guideline of MeBr fumigation requirement Please attach it with the request
That will be a great help for us in the future as well !!!

12. A complete request makes our job easy
This exporter has
attached the destination
Country requirements
With the request -
Made our responsibility
less-troublesome
-Made decision making easy
-Quick response to the exporter
A complete request
Carefully filled to
give us maximum
information
A complete request makes our job easy

13. Country Requirements
The NPPOs of the importing countries were contacted to get their MeBr fumigation requirements.
Following are the comments received…….

14. Wood (except for logs) & Coir products
For all countries
48g/ m hrs

15. Germany Methyl bromide treatment is banned
They do not require the import consignments to be fumigated with MeBr
Methyl bromide fumigation is not a requirement for Germany (for the plants and plant products )

16. Japan
Does not require Metheyl Bromide fumigation for import consignments from Sri Lanka.
If quarantine pests are detected by Japan NPPO, the consignment should be subject to quarantine measures
Disinfestations (Methyl Bromide fumigation)
Destructions (incineration) or
Re-shipping
Get your consignment tested and confirmed, for absence of pests by submitting a sample NPQS prior to the export

17. Peru
Methyl Bromide fumigation requirements for some of the commodities imported from Sri Lanka to Peru as follows:
1. Cinamomum verum (cinnamon), natural dry whole bark:
and
2. Syzygium aromaticum (clove), natural dry flower buds:
Methyl Bromide :
40 g/m³ for 12h (T ≥ 32°C)
56 g/m³ for 12h (27°C ≤ T ≤ 31°C)
72 g/m³ for12h (21°C ≤ T ≤ 26°C)

18. Peru Peumus boldus, (boldo) natural dry leaves: Methyl Bromide :
64 g/m³ for 12h (T ≥ 32°C)
96 g/m³ for 12h (27°C ≤ T ≤ 31°C)
128 g/m³ for12h (21°C ≤ T ≤ 26°C)
Straw, dry fiber:
40 g/m³ for 12h (T ≥ 32°C)
56 g/m³ for 12h (27°C ≤ T ≤ 31°C)
72 g/m³ for12h (21°C ≤ T ≤ 26°C)

19. Mauritus
Following products are imported from Sri Lanka: (i) Dehusked coconuts (ii) Cocopeat abd derived products (iii) Ekel brooms
Methyl Bromide
48g/m3 for 24 hours over 21oC

20. Australia According to AQIS standards at 210C or above
Vegetables - 32g/ m3 for 24 hrs
Cotton g/ m3 for 24 hrs
Wooden pallets – 48g/ m3 for 24 hrs
Coir - 48g/ m3 for 24 hrs
Sesame seed - 80g/ m3 for 48 hrs
Treatment for Trogoderma granarium (Khapra beetle)–
80 g/ m3 for 48 hrs
Giant African snail – 128 g/ m3 for 24 hrs

21. Switzerland Switzerland phased out MeBr for QPS purposes anymore
Heat treatment is performed
It is up to you to choose the appropriate method
However, standard for MeBr treatment for wood packaging material:
phytosanitary measures as specified in the ISPM-15

22. USA & Canada spices- 24g/m3 16 hrs USA
Cinnamon, Cardamom ( any spice) - 32g/m hrs
Wooden pallets - According to ISPM 15
Coir g/m hrs
Canada
Wheat granules/ Coffee/ Cocoa -48 g/m hrs
spices- 24g/m hrs
For Khapra beetle – 96 g/m hrs

23. Ireland
The use of Methyl Bromide is banned in the EU for a number of years and therefore the EU does not require the treatment of any product with methyl bromide in order to be permitted entry. However there is no problem in accepting products treated with Methyl Bromide from outside the EU if used elsewhere for quarantine purposes.

24. Slovakia
Slovakia, as other EU member states, accept MrBr treated pallets, but the use of MB within the territory of EU is not allowed.
The conditions of MB treatment should be in accordance with ISPM 15.

25. Liberia
Liberia has stop the use of MeBr as chemical treatment for all agricultural commodities intended for export, import and internal use in the agro- sector since 2010.
The alternative chemical for fumigation is "Phostoxin 56% (aluminum phosphates)".

26. Mozambique
Use of Methyl bromide fumigation is approved for quarantine purpose.
Therefore wood package and pallets materials imported to Mozambique are required to be fumigated with MeBr or
Heat treatment according to ISPM Nr 15 from IPPC.

27. When we get information from other countries
- We will summarize the data
- Publish the list in our web site
- Send you the e-link via
(Please give us your contact details)

28. For any clarification
Contact us:  Deputy Director, National Plant Quarantine Service, Canada Friendship Road, Katunayake  or  

29. THANK YOU