Nordiko Newsletter

Nordiko News
Nordiko Quarantine Systems Pty Ltd
March/April 2008
Volume 2, Issue 1
N e w Te c h n o l o g y D e m o n s t r a t i o n , S u f f o l k , U S A
Nordiko Quarantine
Systems Pty Ltd
Representatives from US and Australian government departments attended a demonstration of Nordiko and IQDS technology in the USA during October 2007.
This included new remote sensing technology whereby fumigation and residual gas readings can be measured remotely,
improving operator safety and enhancing the security and
reliability of results. In addition, Nordiko Consoles can reduce the amount of Methyl Bromide needed for an effective
fumigation compared with the traditional under-tarp system,
and when combined with recapture filters, further reduce
emissions of this ozone depleting substance.
Level 2
403 Pacific Highway
Artarmon NSW 2064
Australia
Tel: +61 2 9906 5552
Fax: +61 2 9906 1874
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.nordiko.com.au
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In this issue:
New Technology
1
Demo
Port Botany Container
During an eight-week period from October-November 2007, Nordiko conducted a trial at Port Botany that involved the testing and removal of residual gases from over 200 shipping containers. More than one in five containers had above the safe level of residual
fumigant and required ventilation.
The containers tested were both 20’ and 40’, and were of standard height
(8’6) as well as hi-cube height (9’6). Each container was analysed using the
Syft Voice 100 and sampled through a PID. Containers with excess levels of
gas were ventilated using Nordiko’s Consoles.
Ventilation times averaged just 15 minutes to clear residual gas to below safe
standards. Both Nordiko’s Filter Model and MaxiFlow Ventilation Systems
were used. Nordiko’s filter captured all VOC’s encountered. A range of
gases were found inside the containers, including Methyl Bromide, Formaldehyde, Chloropicrin and Ethylene Dibromide.
1
Ventilation Project
Gas Dispersions
Po r t B o t a ny C o n t a i n e r Ve n t i l a t i o n P ro j e c t
1
The Project successfully demonstrated the effective performance of Nordiko equipment, and - unfortunately - the
prevalence of residual gases inside shipping containers.
Around Port
Equipment in Italy and
Malaysia
2
UNSW Co-op Program 2
Profile: Ken Brash
2
MAF Biosecurity
3
Meeting
MB Emission Concerns
3
Nordiko Products
3
Red Imported Fire Ants 4
Asiaworld Shipping
4
Awards
4
G a s D i s p e r s i o n s A ro u n d Po r t
This image shows the concentrations of Methyl Bromide
after release from fumigations in a major Australian Port.
The contours on this graph were created after readings
were taken from live fumigations at the Port depots, and
results incorporated into computer models showing gas
dispersions. Present fumigation methods result in risks categorised as ranging up to Moderate and Extreme, risks which
can exceed current and proposed regulatory criteria.
Nordiko’s systems reduce these risks by recapturing the
highly toxic, colourless, odourless gases that are used in
fumigation.
N o rd i ko E q u i p m e n t i n I t a l y a n d M a l ay s i a
Newest Recruit:
UNSW Industrial
Chemistry Co-Op
Program
The Italian-based international appliance manufacturers and marketers Indesit
have taken the initiative to be the
first firm in Europe to adopt
Nordiko ventilation systems across all their import
warehouse operations. They are to take delivery of 8
systems during May, for use in Italy, UK and Poland. Sidney
Pinzani, Indesit’s Logistics Director says: “Indesit is serious
about health and safety of our workers, and is adopting this
equipment as a standard measure in all of our factories
which take in imported goods”. (Map courtesy
WorldAtlas.com)
Through its local agent Life
Sciences Biotech Sdn Bhd,
Nordiko fumigation and
recapture and ventilation systems are to be launched in Malaysia during May 2008, to a broad audience
including most of the country’s fumigators and government department representatives. This follows
the sale of two Methyl Bromide Recapture Systems to Malaysia earlier this year. Attendees will include
visitors from Australia, India, China, USA and other nearby regions. Malaysia has already set high
standards in quarantine compliance and is the hub of AFAS training in South East Asia. Broader uptake
of recapture technology will keep Malaysia at the forefront of technical progress in the fumigation
industry.
LIFE SCIENCES
Nordiko, in conjunction with the
University of New South Wales, has
established a 5-Year Scholarship
Program for undergraduate students
in the field of Industrial Chemistry.
Nordiko’s newest recruit under the
Program is Geoff Pillans—welcome
Geoff!
(Picture courtesy
Malaxi Maps)
Geoff joins the Nordiko team as our
UNSW Co-Op Scholar and is
undertaking a range of practical
projects in conjunction with his
studies.
Meet the Team
The Scholarship is comprised of both
educational and practical projects,
and provides students with training
and work experience, whilst helping
This edition… the “Ant’s Pants” of
Entomologists!
them complete their qualifications.
Profile:
Nordiko is proud to be associated
with the University of New South
Wales, with its reputation of
Ken Brash
providing high quality education, and
is pleased to welcome Geoff to the
team.
We wish him
well with both
his studies and
work
experience.
science teacher before serving
several years with the military.
He boasts an extensive
background in commodity
Ken Brash, has been working
trading and has held marketing
with the Nordiko team since the
management positions with a
company’s inception (in 2001),
number of transport companies
and is one of its Directors.
and container depots.
Ken is the inventor of the
patented equipment and has
been active in product
development and marketing.
Ken is a qualified Entomologist,
as well as being a Licensed
Fumigator (AFAS accredited).
Ken commenced his career as a
He has a passion for insects,
particularly ants. You can read
Ken’s article on “Red Imported
Fire Ants” on page 4 of this
Newsletter.
Ken lives on the south coast of
Sydney with his wife and daughter.
N e w s f ro m N ew Z e a l a n d
» MAF Biosecurity Meeting
Nordiko Products
Twenty eight possible alternatives to the ozone depleting gas methyl bromide came under scrutiny in
NZ on 27 February 2008, as over 90 Government and industry representatives met in Wellington to
review the alternatives to methyl bromide use at New Zealand borders. Advice was also provided by
experts from the USA and Australia. Amongst the alternatives considered was methyl bromide
recapture.
MAF Biosecurity New Zealand Import Standards Group Manager Clive Gower-Collins said, "Today
represented a step forward in identifying a replacement - one that would be acceptable to New
Zealand's trading partners while meeting our own biosecurity needs. Keeping in mind that any
treatment, used as an alternative to methyl bromide, is likely to give rise to either economic, health
and safety, biosecurity or other environmental issues today's meeting was extremely useful in
deciding where to from here." (Courtesy: MAF NZ 2008)
L i gh tw e i gh t Fu m i g at i o n C on s o le
» Growing Concern over Methyl Bromide
Emissions
Concerns over Methyl Bromide emissions are growing across the globe. Authorities in Belgium,
Germany and New Zealand appear to be at the forefront of a movement to reduce emissions
associated with Methyl Bromide use.
M ax i F l o w V en t i l at i on
C o n s o l e ( w i th ou t f i l t er )
Methyl bromide remains an important tool for biosecurity and a replacement has yet to be
discovered that can fulfil the broad range of applications for which Methyl Bromide is used. Any
replacement fumigant (if and when introduced) would also need to be highly toxic in order to be
effective. Whether it is Methyl Bromide or another toxic fumigant that is being used, the control of
emissions through the use of recapture technology, is clearly beneficial.
New Zealand has made headlines recently on a number of fronts. On the 8th of October 2007, “60
Minutes” New Zealand aired a story under the headline “Fuming”, which highlighted the dangers of
methyl bromide and the plight of workers who have been exposed to high doses of the fumigant.
Reporters interviewed port workers and fumigators who claimed to have been exposed to methyl
bromide and are now suffering the effects of the gas.
V e n t i l a t i on C on s o le
( w i th f i l te r )
Methyl bromide continues to be under the spotlight in New Zealand, where the Greens’ Party is
pressuring the Government for tighter restrictions on fumigators. Sue Kedgley (Greens’ Party MP
and Health Spokesperson) pointed out that methyl bromide is a highly toxic gas, especially to the
lungs and nervous system. It can be fatal, and chronic exposure through the air has been associated
with a range of neurological effects. “There is no monitoring to ensure that the amount of methyl
bromide being released into the atmosphere is at a level that is allegedly safe”, Ms Kedgley pointed
out. (Courtesy: The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand)
Log stacks fumigated with methyl bromide at Wellington’s CentrePort in February 2008, came under
the spotlight, after toxic gas plumes were released
to the atmosphere. Stefan Browning, Soil & Health
Association spokesman said, “Capture and
destruction’ technology that filters out methyl
bromide gas from fumigation and other alternatives
for phytosanitory fumigation such as heat treatment,
are urgently required”. (Courtesy: Scoop
Independent News)
U n de r -T ar p Fu m ig at i o n /
R e c ap t u re Sy st e m
(Photo courtesy: Stored Grain Research Laboratory,
CSIRO.)
Red Imported Fire Ant
UNEP Report
(Solenopsis Invicta)
Shows
Nordiko Quarantine Systems
Pty Ltd
Level 2
I n v i ct a i s o n e of ab ou t 2 8 0 sp ec i es of th e
g en u s S o l en op s is an d on e o f t h e m o st
a g gr es s iv e an ts . In th e ab se n c e o f an y
c o n t r o ls , it c an b e c om e rea d i l y e st ab l i sh e d .
A u s tr a l i a ex p er i en c e d an in cu r s i on o f R e d I mp or t ed F i r e An t in
1 9 9 9 /2 0 0 0 i n th e Br i sb an e u r b an are a an d F ish er man s’ Is l an d , th e
c o n t a in er p or t ser v i c in g Br i sb an e .
403 Pacific Highway
Artarmon NSW 2064
Australia
Tel: +61 2 9906 5552
Fax: +61 2 9906 1874
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.nordiko.com.au
Awards
12th Annual Lloyd’s List
DCN Shipping Awards
N o rd i ko is pro ud to ann oun c e th a t i t has won
t h e “ A chi e v em en t in Sa f e t y and En v iro nm en tal
P r o te c t ion A war d” a t th e 12 th Annua l L lo y d ’s
L is t D CN Aus t ral ian Shipp ing & Tran sp or t
A war d s, h e ld on Thur sd a y, 2 9 N o ve mbe r
2007 , in S y dn e y.
N o rd i ko w on th e
A war d f or i t s w ork in
d e v e lop ing an d mar k e t ing inn o va ti v e t e ch n ol og y for fu miga t ion
an d v en t ila t ion app li ca t i on s, wh i ch r esu l t in
b e t t er en vir onm en ta l
an d he al th an d sa f e t y
o u t com e s.
N o rd i ko’ s s ys t ems ha v e b e en a d op te d in Aus t ra lia b y orga nis a ti ons su ch as Aus tr ali an Cu st o ms , who ven t il a te sh ippin g co n tain er s, re nd e ring th em saf e for
i nsp e c ti on, an d o ve rs ea s m ar ke t s s u ch a s
B el gium — whe re i t is
n ow man da t or y t o
r e cap tu re the ma in
qua ran ti ne fum igan t
m e th yl br omi d e,
w hi ch i s a po t en to z on e de pl e ting sub s t an c e.
O n c e a le rt e d t o th e f a ct th at t h e se a n t s we re p r es en t , D PI Qu e en s l an d
i m m ed i a te l y b e ga n p l an n in g a st ra t eg y t o er a d ic at e th em . Th ey h av e b ee n
v er y su c c es sfu l in th e ir ef fo r ts an d in t h e sp ac e of s ix y ea rs m an ag e d t o
e r ad i c at e ap p r ox im a te l y 9 5 % of t h e e st ab l i sh e d c o l on i es . Th i s c am e at a
c o s t o f A$1 7 9 , 0 0 0 ,0 0 0 .
R e s ea rch b y t h e C S I RO h as s h own t h a t f ir e an ts h a ve th e p o t en t i a l t o
i n h ab i t m os t o f th e ma j o r c o a st a l ar e as of Au st ra l ia , a n d ex t en s iv e ar ea s
o f t h e t r op ic a l n or th . Wh il e f ire an t s h a ve n ot y e t b e en f ou n d in
A u s tr a l i a' s a gr i cu lt u r a l ar ea s , th e y h av e h a d a s i gn if i ca n t im p a ct on
a g r icu l tu re in th e U SA an d c os t th e U S a gr i cu l tu r a l in d u str y U S$ 1 .2
b i l l i o n p er y ea r .
A s th e p ic tu r e ( l ef t ) i l l u s tra t es , t h e e ff ec ts on
h u ma n s c an b e ve ry p a in fu l. Wh en y ou d i stu rb
a f ire an t n es t , th ey s wa rm o u t in l ar g e
n u mb e rs . Th ey c an cr a w l o n t o y ou r b o dy in
t en s o r ev en h u n dr ed s w i th ou t y ou b e in g
i m m ed i a te l y a wa re . Th ey th en te n d t o st in g a l l
a t on c e , w i th e ach an t s t in g i n g s e ver a l t i me s .
I n v er y ra re c as es t h e se s ti n gs c an b e f at a l .
T h i s o ccu rs if s o me on e h as an a l l er g ic r ea ct i o n
( a n ap h y l ax i s) , wh ich u n f ortu n a te l y can n ot b e a sc er t a in e d u n t i l y ou
r ec e i ve y ou r f i rs t s t in g .
( A rt i c l e : K en Br a sh )
Asiaworld Shipping Services
Established in 1983, Asiaworld Shipping Services is a wholly Australian owned company, specialising in providing clients with a complete shipping service. Nordiko
Quarantine Systems is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Asiaworld.
With offices in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Fremantle, Nordiko has
full access to a wide range of multi-skilled staff and resources.
Check out Asiaworld’s website: www.asiaworld.com.au