Fumigation in the Woodworking Industry.

Fumigation is the process of fuming poisonous gas to cope the insect attacks. The poisonous gas is purposed to kill all pests and the living organisms (larva, pupa, and imago). The fumigation is considered a standard process for the furniture, handicrafts, and wood products before they are shipped to the destination country. Most countries in the world require the fumigation process for the incoming products that have a high risk of pest infection. Furniture, handicrafts, and products made from wood or natural substrates are at high risk of being infected by insects. They need to be fumigated before it is shipped to ensure it is 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 deals with chemicals and poisonous material. The fumigation process must be done with professional and certified person

Here are the process of fumigation

• Preparation:

An 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 will 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 be done in the container after all furniture products are packed and arranged in the container. Then the container is closed and ready to be fumigated. Sometimes the fumigation is done in the box after furniture is put in. 

• Fumigant Application

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

• Aeration 

After the fumigation process is complete, 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 clean the fumigant.

Although fumigation is very effective at killing insects or creatures that infect the product, the process cannot guarantee that the product will be free from insect attack. The fumigant gas cannot be absorbed by the product, which means it will go and disappear after a certain time. The fumigation will only kill organisms that are alive at the time when the stuff is fumed by the gas. The fumigation will kill the termites, woodborers, and bugs 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 are any insect eggs that hatch, they will be born and attack the wood products. The fumigation also cannot give protection if the new insects fly and alight 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 on the wood houses or buildings. The chemical treatment of the wood or natural product could be more effective way to prevent the insect from attacking. The proper chemical treatment will make the wood products toxic and not liked by the insects. See our previous article: the insect attacked to the wood product