Fumigation in the woodworking industry.

Fumigation is the process of fuming of poisonous gas to cope the insect attacks. The poisonous gas is purposed to kill all pests and the living organism (larva, pupa, and imago). The fumigation is considered standard process to the furniture, handicraft and wood product before it shipped to the destination country. Most countries in the world require the fumigation process for the incoming products that have high risk for the pest infection. Furniture, handicrafts and the products made from wood or natural substrates are high risk to be infected by insects. they need to be fumigate before it shipped to ensure it free from the pest. For the products that are placed in the ship container, the fumigation process can be done by spraying gas into the container before the product is shipped.

The fumigation process must be done carefully, it is the process that dealing with chemicals and poisonous material. The fumigation process must be done with professional and certified person

Here are the process of fumigation

• Preparation: 

Initial assessment is needed to determine the type of pest, level of infestation, and condition of the area to be fumigated. This standard process is also needed for the wood product to make sure we can get the proper material for the fumigation process and how long the process be done. 

• Sealing

The area to be fumigated must be sealed or sealed to ensure the fumigant gas does not leak out. In the furniture manufacturer, the process can done in the container after all furniture product packed and arranged in the container. Then the container is closed and ready to be fumigated. Sometime the fumigation is done in the box after furniture put in. 

• Fumigant Application

Th fumigant gas is flowed into the closed box or container. The concentration and type of the gas and and duration of application depend on the type of pest and the stuff. The fumigant that commonly used are: Methyl Bromide, phosphine, Ethylene Oxide, and Sulfuric fluoride. The most widely uses fumigant that is the phosphine. Sulfuric fluoride is the most used chemical for wood product, including wood panel decking, and furniture.

• Aeration 

After the fumigation process is complete, then the last process is aeration. It is the process to clean the poisonous gas form the product. The fresh air is flowed in the container to cleaned the fumigant.

Although fumigation is a very effective to kill insects or creatures that infect the product, but actually the process cannot guarantee to the product to be free from insect attack. The fumigant gas cannot be absorbed by the product, means it will go and disappear after certain time. The fumigation will only kill organisms that alive at the time when the stuff is fumed by the gas. The fumigation will kill the termite, wood borer and bug that infect the product but it won’t kill the eggs that have not hatched. After the fumigant gas has evaporated completely, the product will be susceptible to the insect attack. If there is any insect eggs hatch, they will be born and attack the wood products. The fumigation is also cannot give protection o the new insects fly and alighted at the product after the product is free from toxic gas.
In the pest control we can do fumigation periodically to control the insect attack to the wood houses or building. The chemically treatment to the wood or natural product could be more effective way to prevent the insect attacked. The proper chemically treatment will make the wood products be toxic and not liked by the insects. See our previous article: the insect attacked to the wood product