BMSB treatment Australia & New Zealand

The brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys) or BMSB is an invasive stink bug that originates from Eastern Asia, including China, Taiwan, Korea and Japan.

Since the early 00’s the bug has undergone a rapid expansion across the world. In the United States, the brown marmorated stink bug has emerged as a major pest of tree fruits and vegetables, causing millions of dollars’ worth of crop damage and control costs each year.

Due to its adaptability to human-made structures the BMSB has become quite the hitchhiker. The movement of desirable overwintering sites, such as cargo containers and other transportable objects, has been implicated in its rapid spread across the globe.

At the end of summer, the adult bugs look for shelter in dark and dry places, for example in vehicles and containers. Subsequent movement makes for a rapid spread of the BMSB across the globe.

​If it established in Australia, this pest would be extremely difficult and expensive to manage, since it is not easily controlled with pesticides and it eats a huge range of plants.

​The Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the Ministry for Primary Industries of New Zealand have introduced seasonal measures to manage the risk of BMSB from arriving in Australia and New Zealand, based on scientific research, intelligence data collections and information from previous seasons.

Fumigation
Fumigation is a treatment method that uses toxic gas to eradicate pests. While Australian and New Zealand authorities allow fumigation with sulfuryl fluoride or methyl bromide, only sulfuryl fluoride may be used in Europe. The cargo in the treatment enclosure will be fumigated with the minimum required concentrations for the minimum required time. If, after ventilation, all measured values are below the final threshold limit value, the cargo is declared gas-free.

Heat treatment
Heat treatment is a treatment method that, depending on the packaging method, uses heat at the minimum required temperature for the minimum required time for the treatment of goods. Heaters blow hot, dry air into the treatment enclosure. The temperature is monitored by temperature sensors, which are placed in the coldest areas of the load. Heat treatment is a form of bio treatment, in the sense that no toxic gases are involved.

These countries are determined annually by the Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment in Australia and the Department of Primary Industries in New Zealand. This list applies to the 2023/24 season. Last modified on 01/08/2023

Goods that fall within the following tariff classifications have been categorised as target high risk goods and will require mandatory treatment for BMSB risk..

• 44 – Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal
• 45 – Cork and articles of cork
• 57 – Carpets and other textile floor coverings
• 68 – Articles of stone, plaster, cement, asbestos, mica or similar materials
• 69 – Ceramic products – including sub chapters I and II
• 70 – Glass and glass ware
• 72 – Iron and steel – including sub chapters I, II, III, IV
• 73 – Articles of iron or steel
• 74 – Copper and articles thereof
• 75 – Nickel and articles thereof
• 76 – Aluminium and articles thereof
• 78 – Lead and articles thereof
• 79 – Zinc and articles thereof
• 80 – Tin and articles thereof
• 81 – Other base metals; cermets; articles thereof
• 82 – Tools, implements, cutlery, spoons and forks, of base metal; parts thereof of base metal
• 83 – Miscellaneous articles of base metals
• 84 – Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof
• 85 – Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers, and parts and accessories of such articles
• 86 – Railway or tramway locomotives, rolling-stock and parts thereof; railway or tramway track fixtures and fittings and parts thereof; mechanical (including electro-mechanical) traffic signalling equipment of all kinds
• 87 – Vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling-stock, and parts and accessories thereof
• 88 – Aircraft, spacecraft, and parts thereof
• 89 – Ships, boats and floating structures

This list is established by the Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment in Australia and the Department of Primary Industries in New Zealand. This list applies to the 2023/24 season. Last modified on 01/08/2023

Goods that fall within the following tariff classifications have been categorised as target risk goods and are only subject to increased onshore intervention through random inspection. Mandatory treatment is not required.

• 27 – Mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation; bituminous substances; mineral waxes
• 28 – Inorganic chemicals; organic or inorganic compounds of precious metals, of rare-earth metals, of radioactive elements or of isotopes – including sub chapters I, II, III, IV and V
• 29 – Organic chemicals – including sub chapters I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XII and XIII
• 38 – Miscellaneous chemical products
• 39 – Plastics and articles thereof – – including sub chapters I and II
• 40 – Rubber and articles thereof
• 48 – Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp, of paper or of paperboard
• 49 – Printed books, newspapers, pictures and other products of the printing industry; manuscripts, typescripts and plans
• 56 – Wadding, felt and nonwovens; special yarns; twine, cordage, ropes and cables and articles thereof

BMSB seasonal measures do not apply to all other goods that are not listed above and therefore are not categorised as target high risk or target risk good. However, if these goods are part of a container of consignment that contains categorised goods, they may be subject to measures. It will not be permitted to deconsolidate or remove goods prior to treatment.

This list is established by the Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment in Australia and the Department of Primary Industries in New Zealand. This list applies to the 2023/24 season. Last modified on 01/08/2023