In 1874 dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane was first synthesized. It was not until 1935 that it was discovered to be a highly effective insecticide. It soon became known by the acronym DDT. It came to prominence during WW2 when it provided effective malaria eradication. After WW2, and in the wake of DDT’s effective and much publicized success in malaria eradication, other chemistries of the same group – the organo-chlorine group – were commercialized and entered the Australian market. In 1952 aldrin was registered for termite management under and around Australian residential housing, soon followed by chlordane, dieldrin and heptachlor.

The ensuing decades saw several environmental issues raised regarding these organo-chlorines. Despite the fact that the issues in question related to the use of organo-chlorine’s in non housing situations – predominantly public health, horticulture, pest management and agricultural – the termite management registrations for Australian residential housing were summarily withdrawn on 30 June 1995.

By that date the Australian housing industry had become a major consumer of organo-chlorine chemicals for termite management. Back in 1952 this chemistry had heralded the introduction of the self descriptive “slab-on-ground” construction method. In fact, by the 1980’s and 90’s the “slab-on-ground” construction method had been adopted as the preferred mode of housing construction, that due to it’s practicality and aesthetic appeal when compared to the “high-set” construction method. Also, and by no means not least, construction cost containment.

In effect the housing industry had become to some considerable degree dependent on the cheap, simple, effective and no maintenance organo-chlorines. This fact was neither recognized nor understood when the “government of the day” in 1995 removed them from the market. This removal was done with undue haste, perhaps driven by political and environmental considerations, with very little attention being paid to what was in future manage termites under and around residential housing.

At time of writing - August 2007 - Australian “government regulators” – those from all three levels of government - responsible for the regulation of termite management products and systems in residential housing, were cautiously and reluctantly coming to accept and understand the error of their ways back in the mid 1990’s.

To be blunt, a systemic breakdown in the regulation of termite management products nd systems had occurred in Australian residential housing, with the replacement products and systems. A $ multi-billion consumer driven termite management issue was looming.

• The Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA) building advisory service, The Archicentre on www.archicentre.com.au
  
• The consumer “best interest” lobby group, The Termite Action Group (TAG) on www.termiteactiongroup.com.au

Over a period of some eight years the TAG has brought the escalating issue of termite management system failures the regulators attention, an issue that would inevitably come to their attention at sometime in the years beyond 2007. Therefore, the TAG could arguably be said to have saved Australian house owners and investors $ billions, based on the Archicentre’s estimate of termite damage and repair for the year 2006 of $910,000,000.

At time of writing the TAG was communicating the substance and reasons for this systemic regulatory breakdown. The Federal Government Ministers responsible for:-

Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB)
Agricultural Products, Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA)
CSIRO, Technical Appraisals

plus the statutory body Standards Australia are all communicating with the TAG on means whereby the problem can be addressed and resolved.

A full resolve of this $ multi-billion consumer issue will undoubtedly take some years. As it progresses, and as and when it becomes appropriate, key aspects of the resolve will be posted on www.mabonstimberprotect.com.au

There are a number of new termite management products and systems awaiting regulation through to CodeMark Certification. This can and will only occur once the regulatory process is reinstated, that process currently suspended at the first phase, CSIRO Technical Appraisals.

Mabon’s have good reason to believe that one of these new systems awaiting the regulatory procedures reinstatement may be of novel technology, and based on the insecticidal and fungicidal properties of boron.

THE FUTURE OF BORON PROTECTED TIMBER IN AUSTRALIAN HOUSING

As stated earlier, boron is technically, environmentally and toxicologically the best and the most appropriate choice of timber protection agent available to mankind. It holds a huge bank of environmental, toxicological and related research data, that having been generated by a range of universities and science institutes from around the world.

The sole reason for boron not coming to the fore commercially before now has to do with matters of synthetic chemistry development, being patented, multi-national company marketing budgets (big $) and commercialism – some would say matters of politics too. It has nothing whatsoever to do with boron’s technical performance as a timber protection agent, particularly so when timber is in H1 and H2 housing structural situations.

Until the advanced new termite management systems mentioned above are to market, water-based boron formulations such as MABON’S ProtecTimber, when applied by current painting, dipping, spraying or spot-injection techniques, provides the best available fungal decay and insect pest protective treatment of timber – both in-situ, replacement timbers and as a prophylactic or precautionary treatment in the event of a primary termite management system failure of new house trusses and frames.

Increasingly architects, building designers, builders, building certifiers and informed home-owners are specifying this precautionary treatment to timber frames and trusses, this until the systemic breakdown in primary termite management system regulation is fully understood and addressed.

Richard Kingsley
General Manager
MABON’S TIMBER PROTECTION