Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) wish to advise that the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (the department) has issued Industry Advice 192-2021 advising of minor revisions to the methyl bromide treatment certificate criteria in BICON for goods subject to the urgent actions to protect against khapra beetle (khapra measures).
What has changed?
From 30 September 2021, the department will make minor revisions to the methyl bromide treatment certificate criteria in BICON for goods subject to the urgent actions to protect against khapra beetle (khapra measures).
IMPORTANT: There is no change to the department's methyl bromide treatment certificate template. The revised treatment certificate criteria already form part of the template.
The BICON methyl bromide treatment certificate requirements will be updated from 30 September 2021 to include the following criteria:
- Target of fumigation (e.g. commodity/packing/container/commodity and packing)
- Prescribed AND applied dose rate
- Fumigation enclosure type (e.g. sheeted container/chamber)
- Container number
- Declaration that the fumigation has been carried out in accordance with all the requirements in the methyl bromide fumigation methodology
- Signed declaration by the fumigator in-charge
The revised treatment certificate criteria apply to fumigations conducted on or after 30 September 2021.
The changes listed will be made to ensure compliance with import conditions, and compliance with the department's methyl bromide fumigation methodology.
The department anticipates that the revised treatment certificate criteria will have minimal impacts, as most treatment certificates currently assessed under the department's khapra measures already contain the required information.
From 30 September 2021, treatment certificates that do not include the above information will not be accepted. However, an opportunity will be given to re-present updated certificates to include the information if the treatment is otherwise compliant.
Tips for avoiding non-compliant khapra treatments
While the majority of methyl bromide treatment certificates have been compliant since the introduction of our khapra measures, where non-compliance is identified, common issues include:
- Treating the commodity instead of the container
- Conducting the fumigation as an un-sheeted container
- Fumigations being conducted using the incorrect dose rate
- Fumigations being conducted for the incorrect exposure period
Treatment providers who are not already doing so, are encouraged to use the department's treatment certificate template as it will aid in ensuring certificate compliance and reduce assessment delays.
Along with supporting effective biosecurity risk assessment, these changes will remove minor contradictions in current import condition content and avoid inadvertent non-compliance.
Further information
Please contact offshoretreatments@awe.gov.au for any further information.
To ensure you remain updated on these changes, we recommend registering to receive BICON alerts and Import Industry Advice Notices
Sal Milici - Head of Border & Biosecurity - FTA / APSA
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