02/2010 04 May
Member News | Regulatory News | Business News | Scientific News | People in the News | IRG Secretariat News | Sponsor | Events | Print letter
Member News

IRG Travel Award for Short-term Scientific Missions
The Travel Awards Fund for Short Term Scientific Missions is still available. Professors should encourage their students to apply. No particular deadline for applications.
If you are interested, please take advantage of the on-line application procedure available on the IRG website. The maximum amount that can be granted is Swedish Kroner SEK 12 500, i.e. approximately USD 2 000 or EUR 1300.

Regulatory News

AU: Timber treatment Standards Action
Australian Standards Committee TM-006 met in Melbourne in February.
Shortly thereafter, the five updated draft documents for the revision of AS/NZS 1604 series were uploaded onto the Standards Hub (saiglobal.com) for download and review by members. The documents will be available until 13th May for review by members, interested stakeholders and the public.
They are: DR AS/NZ 1604 - Specification for preservative treatment -
  • Part 1: Sawn and round timber
  • Part 2: Reconstituted wood-based products
  • Part 3: Plywood
  • Part 4: Laminated veneer lumber (LVL)
  • Part 5: Glued laminated timber products
Comments are invited on the technical content, wording and general arrangement of the drafts. The method for submission of comment on this document is to register and fill in an online form via Standards Hub Website. Instructions and examples of comment submission are available on the website. Please use the following link:
https://www.hub.standards.org.au/hub/public/listOpenCommentingPublication.action
Comment must be via Hub, any emails or forms sent by fax or mail will not be considered by the Committee when it reviews the Public Comment received. Further copies of the draft are available from the Publisher SAI Global at
http://www.saiglobal.com/

The next (36th) meeting will be scheduled for mid-2010 or thereabouts, depending upon progress and responses to the Public review documents. Exact dates and venue of the next meeting will be further notified to members in due course.
Source: The Timber Preservers Association of Australia May Issue 2010, Brighton Vic, AU.

EU: Creosote and the Biocidal Products Directive
On 9 and 10 March 2010, the Competent Authorities discussed for the second time the issue of Creosote.
Basis of the discussion was the final Competent Authorities report combined with a draft Commission decision aiming at an inclusion of Creosote on Annex I of the BPD for 5 years.
No decision was taken due to disagreement between the European Member States. The issue of Creosote will now be put on the agenda of the next meeting of the Competent Authorities (from 25 to 28 May 2010 in Brussels).
Source: WEI NEWS2-2010 - Issue 2/10 - April 2010, Brussels, BE.

EU: Proposed regulation on biocides
The European Parliament is currently debating the proposed regulation on biocides, designed to replace the current directive on the authorisation of biocidal products.
The discussion focused on the key changes introduced by the legislative recast:
  • Centralised authorisation procedure
There was broad, indeed almost unanimous support for the principle of centralised authorisation for products, as an option in addition to the current system of national authorisations plus mutual recognition. Some pointed out, however, that national procedures must be maintained to take into account specific conditions of use in different Member states.
Concerning the scope of the centralised authorisation procedure, views were quite varied. Some Member states suggested that products combining low hazard and low exposure as well as other products with low exposure be included while some others supported the Commission proposal to start with new active substances and low-risk products, and yet others made other suggestions.
It was also pointed out that a centralised authorisation procedure must not place excessive burdens on SMEs, in particular through fees.
  • Exclusion criteria
Many delegations welcomed the Commission's proposal to set criteria identifying active substances which are excluded from use in biocidal products due to their inherent hazardous characteristics. Delegations and the Commission agreed that environmental hazards should be added to the exclusion criteria. In addition, there was broad agreement that active substances that meet the exclusion criteria could be authorised when certain strict risk or socio-economic criteria are met.
  • Treated articles and materials
Delegations supported bringing all articles and materials treated with or incorporating biocidal products within the scope of the regulation. There was also broad support for requiring articles whose primary function is to be biocidal to be authorised as biocidal products. However, some delegations stressed the need for a practical and proportionate approach, particularly as regards labelling.
Source: WEI NEWS2-2010 - Issue 2/10 - April 2010, Brussels, BE.

EU: European Code of Practice for Safe Design & Operation
During the meeting of the Executive Committee that took place in Brussels on Thursday 25 March, it was decided to respond positively to the request of EWPM, the European Wood Preservative Manufacturers Group, to work together on a Code of Practice for Timber Treatment Installations.
The aim of the Code of Practice is:
  • to help treatment plants operation owners, managers and operators to understand and be aware of what is required to design, install and operate a timber treatment plant in a safe, environmentally responsible and successful way.
  • to help the regulatory authorities understand how timber treatment operations can be operated in a safe and environmentally responsible way.
  • to form the basis of the BREF Note that will be produced by the EU for when timber treatment plants with a daily treatment capacity of 75m3/day are brought into the scope of the new Industrial Emissions Directive and the directive is implemented into national legislation.

The purpose of this document is thus to provide generic guidance on environmental, safety and health aspects relevant to all companies in the European Union engaged in the activity of industrial wood preservation. Such guidance is also intended to be useful to those regulatory authorities responsible regulating the wood preservation industry.
EWPM has worked on a first draft of Code of Practice. The first draft can be obtained from the Secretariat. In order to make it a joint work, comments and reactions of WEI members are essential. We would therefore be most pleased if you could provide us with your comments and reactions in order to make the Code of Practice a document that could be defended both by treatment companies and the manufacturers of the wood preservatives.
We look forward to receive your comments on the first draft of Code of Practice.
Source: WEI NEWS2-2010 - Issue 2/10 - April 2010, Brussels, BE.

CH: Swiss draft ordinance on declaring wood and wood products - Notification 2009/9508/CH
The Swiss authorities have adopted an ordinance on declaring wood and wood products. With this decree, the Swiss authorities intend to introduce a mandatory declaration related to wood and wood products supplied to consumers.
Article 3 specifies that anyone supplying wood or wood products to consumers must:
  • specify the commercial name of the wood, and
  • give sufficient information to enable consumers to determine the scientific name of the wood.
Suppliers also need to indicate the country of harvest (art. 3).
Source: WEI NEWS2-2010 - Issue 2/10 - April 2010, Brussels, BE.

Business News

BE: WEI Award
On the initiative of the WEI President, Mr. Jorge Milne e Carmo, the Executive Committee has launched the WEI Award.
The objective of the WEI Award is to promote both creativity and innovation, and to create an added value within our business. It will be awarded to a person, company, organisation or authority having made a significant contribution to the sector.
This contribution can vary from an innovation to best practice, a research undertaken in the domain of the wood preservation industry or even a lifetime achievement. In the first phase of the award procedure, we ask your co-operation in nominating candidates who would merit the Award. Based on the candidatures and input received from the members, the Executive Committee will discuss the entries. The Executive Committee will establish a shortlist of three candidates.
Final voting will be done by all members. WEI is looking forward to receive your proposals for the first edition of a WEI Award.
Source: WEI NEWS2-2010 - Issue 2/10 - April 2010, Brussels, BE.

Scientific News

GB: British termite colony returns to North Devon
Simon de Bruxelles - Britain’s only colony of termites has survived 12 years of attempts to wipe it out using chemicals, scientists have revealed. The termites were thought to have been destroyed after an eradication programme.
The wood-devouring insects were discovered in 1998 in two adjoining homes at Saunton in North Devon. Scientists believe they had been imported from the Canary Islands in a plant pot. Since then a £190,000 eradication programme, funded by the Government, has tried to wipe out the colony using a variety of chemical weapons. They were thought to have been destroyed, but the latest survey of the site found evidence of new infestation.
Under the programme, the area within a 500m radius of the two houses was monitored, and an “insect growth regulator” called hexaflumuron was supposed to prevent the insects maturing so they would be unable to reproduce. Within two years termite activity in the properties appeared to be restricted to a single timber. The last sign of the insects was recorded in April 2000.
In May 2001 monitoring devices were reduced to an outer “buffer zone” and two months later all baits were removed. Since then, the team has carried out regular visits to ensure that the termites have not returned. An inspection in May last year found a few termites under a patio slab at Brackens, one of the houses. Plans for a further visit were made in September when termites were again found in two more monitoring devices.
The report said that the resurgence of termite activity appeared to be “highly localised”. The individuals appeared to have avoided the growth-inhibitor treated baits and may have been present as a satellite mini-colony deeper in the ground, avoiding a lethal dose of the treatment.
“This possibility has always been accepted and is the fundamental reason why a period of ten years without termite activity was deemed necessary before the programme could be considered complete.” The team is now preparing a programme to deal with the latest outbreak and will take into consideration “any new information and experience around the world, since the original programme was adopted”. Work is under way to treat the outbreak.
Source: The Timber Preservers Association of Australia May Issue 2010, Brighton Vic, AU.

AU: CSIRO restructure now confirmed
After widespread speculation CSIRO has formally announced that it is reducing its research capability in the forest and wood products area over the next few months. Reduction will occur in the areas of wood preservation, advanced adhesives, hardwood processing and analytical processing. However, CSIRO will maintain capability in pulp and paper research while further consultation with industry takes place. This concession is welcomed and A3P said that industry is looking forward to working with the Government and CSIRO to develop a more sustainable research position for this major Australian industry.
Source: A3P Canopy.

USA: International Conference for the Forest Products Society
This year, the FPS International Conference will be in conjunction with the grand opening and dedication of the new Forest Products Laboratory, Centennial Research Facility. This 8,360 m3 facility has some of the latest research equipment for wood research. See http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/research/facilities/centennial.shtml for information about the the Centennial celebration at the FPL that week. This will be an excellent opportunity to see the FPL's new facilities and to interact with some of the top scientists in the world for wood-related research.
In addition to the FPS meetings and the FPL Centennial dedication, also in Madison that same week in June (June 23-26th) the meetings of the IAWA, IAWS & IUFRO Conference will be held. See IAWA-website
The combination of these meetings mean that it will be a very exciting week for all those interested in Forest Products, Wood Anatomy, and Sustainable Biomaterials and Bioenergy.
I will assume the position of FPS President at the June meetings and I would personally like to invite everyone attending any of these meetings to join me at a casual, no-host, FPS President's Reception which will be held Monday evening, June 21st. This reception will be held at a venue nearby the Menona Terrace Convention Center in Madison and more details will be available from the FPS website in the coming weeks.
Barry Goodell

Read more here
Looking for: Best Practices in Wood Protection?
Health and safety information is provided in a document of good practices from 1999 for the design and operation of heavy duty wood treatment facilities in Canada.
Click here to download the document.
For further information and documents for download please contact Environment Canada.

People in the News

BE: Bryan Hegarty joins Janssen PMP as Business Unit Leader Wood Protection
Janssen PMP is very happy to announce that as from 1st May 2010 Dr Bryan M Hegarty will join the Janssen PMP team as Business Unit Leader Wood Protection. In this function Bryan will be responsible for the global activities of Janssen PMP's Wood Protection business.
Bryan, IRG member since 1983, comes from a position as Technical Sales Manager in the Industrial Biocides division of Dow Microbial Control and has a broad experience in Sales and Marketing in various industrial markets.

IRG Secretariat News

IRG 41 in Biarritz, France - Update
The 41st Annual Meeting of the IRG is coming up next week. 170 documents have been received, which is the highest number since the Annual Meeting in Kona in 2000.
The CD with documents will be handed out to those attending the meeting and mailed to other members and sponsors. In the meantime access to the papers is available on the website Compendium. Use you log in ID and you can check abstracts and download the documents you want to read. Click on links for list of documents and programme.
Two special seminars will be arranged during the meeting: one on wood protection in the Mediterranean countries and another on wooden heritage structures. That seminar is organized in collaboration with COST Action IE0601 (Wood Science for Conservation of Cultural Heritage) and Working Part 1.8 (Cultural artefacts).
New officials will be elected at the meeting: Vice-President, 2 members of the Executive Council and new teams of Sections 4 and 5.
Web-based search engine and Compendium
An updated DVD version of the Compendium is available now for only SEK 250. It can be ordered and paid for together with the 2010 subscription fee.

Invoicing 2010 - reminder
This is a reminder to pay your 2010 dues. Please inform the Secretariat by return if you do not intend to retain your membership. Payment is expected by 15 May. The login credentials for the web-based Compendium (searchable database with all IRG documents issued 1969-2009) has expired, and new credentials will be submitted only when payment has been received.
An updated DVD version of the Compendium is available now for only SEK 250. It can be ordered and paid for together with the 2010 subscription fee.

Note on receipts
Please note when paying fees (member/sponsor fees, conference registration fees) to the IRG Secretariat, payments are acknowledged and receipts sent on request only.
Receipts are normally scanned and forwarded as pdf files. Due to technical problems receipts sometimes do no reach the member/sponsor/conference guest.
Please contact the IRG Secretariat, in case you have requested a receipt but not yet received it!

More Sponsors needed!
Members are asked to actively try to recruite more sponsors. The Group is heaviliy dependent on Sponsors in order to keep fees at a reasonably low level. A template for a suppporting letter, signed by our President, Dr Gérard Deroubaix, is available.
Click on link

Contact details
Please report any change of contact details (address, e-mail, tel, fax) to the IRG Secretariat immediately in order to keep our register up to date and to facilitate the Secretariat's communication with Members and Sponsors.




Updated: Events

International Marine and Offshore Coatings Conference
(19 - 21 May 2010, Virginia Beach, VA, USA)
2010 INBAR Congress on Bamboo and Rattan
(20 - 22 May 2010, Shanghai, China)
2nd Conference of the European Consortium for the Barcode of Life (ECBOL2): 2010 International Year of Biodiversity
(02 - 04 June 2010, Braga, Portugal)
FPS 64th International Convention
(20 - 22 June 2010, Madison, WI, USA)
IAWA, IAWS & IUFRO Conference
(23 - 26 June 2010, Madison, WI, USA)
XXIII IUFRO World Congress: "Forests for the Future: Sustaining Society and the Environment"
(22 - 28 August 2010, Seoul, Republic of Korea)
FOREST BIOENERGY 2010 conference
(31 August - 04 September, in Tampere and Jämsä, Finland)
WEI General Assembly
(1 - 4 September 2010, Dubrovnik, Croatia)
ECOWOOD 2010
(08 – 10 September 2010, Oporto, Portugal)
Fifth European Conference on Wood Modification ECWM5
(20 - 21 September 2010, Riga, Latvia)
Coatings Regulations and Analytical Methods Conference
(20 - 21 October 2010, Pittsburgh, PA, USA)
1st Symposium on Turkish & Japanese Environment and Forestry
(21 - 23 October 2010, Trabzon, Turkey)
3rd International Conference on Recent Advances in Composite Materials (ICRACM-3)
(13 - 15 December 2010, Limoges, France)
International conference on structural health assessment of timber structures - SHATIS'11
(16 - 17 June 2011, Lisbon, Portugal)

COST Actions


Start of Action: 18/04/2007
End of Action: 17/04/2011

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