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Osmose settle lawsuit | June 2010 In July 2005, Drs Robin Wakeling and Nicholas Smith MP made statements in television, radio and print media that were extremely critical of the efficacy and suitability of Osmose’s surface applied boron timber preservative, known as TimberSaver®, used to treat house framing. As a result, Osmose issued court proceedings claiming that a number of those statements were untrue and defamatory. Osmose claimed significant damages for losses, as the statements made and the subsequent uproar in the marketplace utterly destroyed the market for TimberSaver®. Osmose is pleased it has been able to reach a settlement of the litigation with Dr Smith, Arch and the other defendants. While the terms of the settlement are confidential, Osmose is satisfied with the settlement and with the apology that Dr Smith has provided, in which he acknowledged that statements made about timber treated with TimberSaver® were incorrect and unfair to Osmose. MicroPro®, the most revolutionary new timber preservative technology developed in recent years has been approved by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) for use in Australia. The MicroPro technology is a micronized copper quaternary based preservative system manufactured by Osmose for timber products protected from termites and fungal decay. MicroPro treated timber products can be used in interior applications as well as exterior above ground, ground contact, and fresh water immersion applications. Typical uses include decking, fencing, landscaping and many other outdoor projects. Some of the benefits of the MicroPro technology include better corrosion resistance for code approved fasteners and hardware, lighter more natural colour, improved painting and staining qualities and MicroPro treated timber can be used in direct contact with aluminum building products. MicroPro is a proven technology which was first introduced in the United States in 2006. Currently, MicroPro is being produced in 80 treating plants with over 8 million cubic metres of treated timber sold annually in over 5,500 retail stores and home centers across the U.S. The MicroPro treatment technology is the next generation of wood preservatives and is an alternative to ACQ and Copper Azole systems. Adding the MicroPro preservative to treatment plants can be done with minimal production disruptions and the Osmose PCS software is fully compatible. For further information and to discuss your individual requirements, please contact your local Osmose representative. Click the links below to download the brochures.2010 IS SHAPING UP TO BE A VERY SIGNIFICANT YEAR FOR OUR INDUSTRY Welcome to our latest edition of the Osmose® Compass newsletter. 2010 is shaping to be a very significant year for our industry. You will read in the newsletter about the issues the industry is facing with the ongoing maintenance and writing of standards and CSIRO’s decision to terminate the Forest Products Division. These issues are coinciding with the current review of the Queensland Timber Utilisation and Marketing Act where the Queensland Government is expected to report in the next few months whether it will continue enacting the TUMA legislation or whether it will repeal the legislation bringing and end to TUMA. Any end to TUMA will also call into question the long term future of the Timber Marketing Act of NSW. Thus, we are faced with the real possibility that the timber industry will lose our local independent research and product monitoring which so many in the industry have relied upon over a long period of time. As for Osmose news, we are pleased to have received our MicroPro® registration as you will also read about. MicroPro addresses many of the concerns that the treaters and users of treated timber have with the current amine based copper systems. We are looking forward to the markets for treated timber continuing to improve. While there has been some definite improvement in the structural timber market for house construction, the markets for rural applications of treated timber remain soft. I hope you find the newsletter informative and as always we look forward to your feedback. MEETING OF AUSTRALIAN STANDARDS COMMITTEE ON TIMBER TREATMENT The funding of Australian Standards has long been problematical with less and less support coming from Australian government and research and public organisations which have been the mainstay of funding and representation. Last year, Standards Australia suffered a funding crisis brought on by the global financial woes and as a result industry was asked to contribute the real costs for standards Australia to produce the standards. The end result of this was a stalemate between Standards Australia and a number of committees including the one that looks after treatment standards. Osmose Australia along with Dr. Harry Greaves, Chairman of the Committee and Doug Howick (Timber Preservers Association of Australia) and other industry companies have been meeting with Standards Australia to work out a solution. In the end, Osmose and others have stumped up money to enable the current amendments to the AS 1604 series to go to publication with a meeting of the TM-006 Committee on the 10th and 11th of February enabling the amendments to go to Public Comment before publication. Thanks must go to Doug Howick, Dr. Harry Greaves and David Marlay for their hard work in coordinating funding and interaction with Standards Australia. Special thanks go to Dr. Harry Greaves for his hard work in preparing meeting papers and the Standards for Public Comment and eventual publication. TARMAC SOUTH AUSTRALIAN PLANT UPGRADE In the last issue of our Newsletter, we described the attributes of the Osmose PCS automation system that is used by Osmose Customers around the world. The Tarmac Group, which consists of 5 core businesses, (2 in South Australia, 2 in Queensland and 1 in New South Wales) each operating as a separate and distinct entity has just installed the system along with some plant upgrades at their North Plympton South Australian site with great success. Here is a description of the work from Osmose South Australian Customer service Manager, Chris Tzioutziouklaris,“Earlier this year, Osmose installed the PCS automation system into the Tarmac SA treatment plant. The PCS replaced a much older automation system which was installed back in 1997. As well as the Osmose PCS, other work done included some changes to the vacuum pump piping to make it more efficient, installation of a variable speed driver on pressure pump and new sensors and instrumentation. The results were remarkable, I think we managed to exceed the customers’ expectations!” Not only did we make the plant more efficient, but the operators have a greater amount of flexibility with their treatment cycle options. Cycles are tailored to suit each product to ensure the optimum outcomes are achieved. Operators have full control of the system and can make changes at any time if necessary. The system allows for a massive amount of data to be collected, this includes production data, chemical usage, timber volumes, process times, and times between charges just to name a few. This data is used by the plant supervisor / manager to better manage the operation and be in-control of the processes. The system also allows for the operators to track and find faults easily and quickly. Remote access by Osmose staff is also included and provides support and back-up if required. Grant Tucker, Technical Manager Tarmac Group writes; “Many thanks for the work last week done by Osmose and it’s contractors. We are pleasantly surprised as we daily discover the many benefits of the new Control System. The expectation was that we would have a fully automated control system and some kind of manual interface, data entry and record keeping. This we have, but also much more. The amount of control over the process is amazing To have support from yourself and the process engineer John Lord via broadband connection has been helpful and reassuring. The project was facilitated in less time than promised and in a highly professional and friendly manner. I enjoyed being part of the process, as did our operators. There are measurable savings in chemical usage due to less over treating and in less power use due to soft starters, better valving and process control. And of course its quicker”. If you would like to find out more about the Osmose Process Control System (PCS) and how it can assist your business, please contact your Osmose state representative. Osmose prides itself on it service to its customers and this comes from a team of dedicated staff involved in all aspects of the business including product development, production, warehousing and delivery just to name a few. We are pleased to announce two new staff members in the production facilities at Mt. Gambier and at Geelong in Victoria. CSIRO TERMINATES FOREST PRODUCTS RESEARCH AFTER 91 YEARS In 1919, the Institute of Science and Industry (Later CSIR - the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and later still CSIRO - the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) accepted an offer from the Government of Western Australia of an annual grant and a site on the grounds of the University of Western Australia for the establishment of a forest products laboratory. Osmose is justifiably proud of its range of timber-care products that have been used by professionals and handypersons around Australia for many years. The range will be expanded so watch this space for new product announcements in the future. Raincoat Water Repellent, one of the most popular products in the range is Raincoat clear and pigmented water repellent. Raincoat works on the principle of reducing moisture movement in the timber which of course resists warping, splitting and with regular application delays greying of the timber, however it should be noted that Raincoat is not a fungicide or preservative formulation so is not a replacement for treated timber. Raincoat is a great companion with treated timber in decks, handrails and the like and the range of pigments is sure to meet the requirements of homeowners Victoria bush fires and the Bush Fire Standard In the wake of the Black Saturday bush fires that devastated communities across Victoria and destroyed more than 2,000 homes the spotlight was focused on the performance of residential buildings. Traditionally, observations from fire events have been used to develop the requirements of these standards. However, the FWPA backed independent research to demonstrate timber’s performance in a building systems approach rather than studying the performance of individual materials – research that was based on the new test methods incorporated within the draft standard as a means of compliance. Wood Preservation Workshop National Timber Recovery Target* |
Osmose Update September 2007 - Osmose Regional Seminars Osmose Australia was proud to host our 2007 regional seminars – Preservation Technologies and Information. Our special thanks go not only to our customers who made the effort to attend, but to our guest speakers from the Timber Development Association, Andrew Dunn and Nick Livanes. Additional thanks go to John Taylor - Senior VP from Osmose Inc., who travelled “down under” to introduce the new MicroPro™ technology in Australia, that has recently become a commercial success in the US and to John Lord our Automation specialist who travelled from Osmose New Zealand to introduce the Osmose PCS plant automation program. One of our new technologies, MicroShades™, has been particularly welcomed as an initiative that will help to differentiate and add value to some specific landscaping products, and the new Osmose Process Control System (PCS) looks set to become the benchmark system in Australia as it has in so many other countries. We’re looking forward to seeing these technologies being taken up and our customers realising some of the benefits. Until the next round of seminars, we will continue to keep all of our customers and business partners informed of any significant industry or Osmose related news, in the meantime please make use of all the new features and content of our re-launched website www.osmose.com.au |
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| APVMA - Training required for CCA operators In conjunction with the APVMA, the New South Wales Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) has advised us that they will be putting together a Pesticides Control Order (PCO) which will govern the use and requirements for the preservative CCA, which will then be adopted by other states within Australia. Whilst the detail of the PCO is not yet available, the main consideration will be based around the training of all Plant-Operators passing a suitable training program. Osmose will be offering the appropriate training to all of our customers once the PCO has been finalised, although we have been told plant compliance with AS2843 will be a requirement, the exact detail and other requirements of the DEC are not yet clear. It is envisaged that the industry will be given between 6 and 12 months to comply, which we feel will be an adequate amount of time for us to complete training with all of our customers and others who may wish us to help them with full compliance. Osmose Australia will be offering all of our customers training on-site by our technical representatives at no cost to our customer base. The training will only be required by plant operators, not associated roles such as fork-lift drivers or plant supervisors, unless they will be actually operating the plant. For more information please contact your Osmose Territory Manager. |
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| Termite protection requirements clarified Subterranean termite management continues to present challenges for the Australian building industry, nowhere more so than in Queensland. Although the timber preservation industry now has an armory of products to assist in the protection of timber against termite attack, these products work best in tandem with effective termite barrier systems. Any barrier system used must comply with the deemed-to-satisfy provisions or the performance requirements of the Building Code of Australia (BCA). From 1 May 2006, a Queensland variation to the BCA requires termite barriers in new construction in Queensland that are not able to be readily replenished or replaced, to have a design life of 50 years. Osmose Australia General Manager Elias Akle, says the directive may have caused some concern amongst timber treaters, especially those who treat framing that carries a 25 year limited warranty. “In short the level of the warranty for treated timber is not the relevant concern. The changes impact mainly on termite barrier systems, such as physical mechanisms and chemical spray techniques.” “The Building Code of Australia requires an effective barrier system to be used in new house construction, unless all the primary building elements are constructed from termite resistant materials,” says Mr Akle. He points out that the advice from Building Codes Queensland makes it clear that treated timbers complying with Australian Standard (AS) 3660.1 (Appendix D) is deemed to be termite resistant. Therefore, H2 LOSP treated timber or H2F framing would be deemed a termite resistant material. The advice from Building Codes Queensland also makes it clear that there is a distinction between warranties and design life, and that it is not necessary for the warranty offered to be of 50 years duration. In fact it states that it would be unreasonable to expect such a warranty to be provided. It is sufficient for the termite treatments to comply with AS3660.1. “The purpose of the Queensland variation to the termite management provisions of the BCA is to ensure that a reasonable assurance, based on scientific data, is given by a system providing that there will be no loss of function of a termite management system over a design life of not less than 50 years. The legislation does not intend to require, and it is unreasonable to expect, a supplier to warranty their system for 50 years,” says the news flash from Building Codes Queensland. |
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| Timber disposal challenges in NSW The New South Wales government is aiming to reduce the amount of waste material going into landfills. In that context the management of end-of-life treated timber products will demand increased industry attention. The government has identified a number of products and is attempting to reduce the quantity of these products ending up in landfills. It is doing this by directing that relevant industries take increased responsibility for products at the end of their life. According to NSW Timber Development Association (NSWTDA) General Manager Andrew Dunn, a good example of this policy direction is plastic bags. “Lightweight plastic bags are now considered to be on-the-nose. Reducing their use and finding replacement products has almost become a national obsession.” While treated timber is not in the top priority listing, the NSW government’s 2004 Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Priority Statement, does include treated timber in the list of “Wastes of Concern”. The Minister for the Environment has requested that the timber industry present reports on specific proposals or current actions and further reports on implementation relating to: • Development of processes to identify and separate treated timber from mixed timber wastes. • Programs to educate consumers about proper disposal of treated timber. • Assessment of options for the use of more benign alternatives to treat and preserve timber. • Action to develop end-market uses for recovered treated timber. Mr Dunn is leading the timber industry’s efforts to deal with the government requirements. He indicates that at the moment the extent of the task for the timber industry is unclear, he said “The government is presently referring to ‘treated timber’, so that could also include blue framing and other treated products in addition to treatments for higher hazard class applications. We are seeking clarification from the government on the scope of the task.” He also advises that if the timber industry does not make meaningful progress the government has indicated that it may enact regulations, saying “government regulation could mandate some sort of requirement to collect and dispose of end-of-life products. This is unlikely to be the most cost effective solution for the industry. Any additional cost will, at the end-of-the-day, need to be carried by treated products and that has implications for competitiveness relative to alternative products.” In association with the Australian Plantation Products and Paper Industry Council, NSWTDA has taken a lead in focusing the attention of all sectors of the timber industry on this end-of-life challenge. Under NSW legislation EPR schemes can include product stewardship arrangements where stakeholders have a role and responsibility in managing waste, from designers and manufacturers through to retailers and consumers. The NSWTDA has therefore established a treated timber product stewardship group comprising all parties in the use of treated timber products. Meetings will be scheduled following the preparation of a “way forward” discussion paper. |
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| Research and development – the way to the future Osmose is the company most likely to lead the timber treatment technology industry into the future based on its efforts in areas such as innovation, progressive product development, increasing market share, timber industry support and treated product advocacy. Osmose Australia general manager, Elias Akle, has reaffirmed the priority placed on R&D and linked it to the company’s future. “We see R&D as the best way to grow our business and to differentiate ourselves. It’s a major focus of ours and that is why we have made a large commitment to R&D, both locally and globally.” “Osmose is able to tie its global R&D effort together. We have over 30 PhDs employed working on new technologies and new processes – all related to advancing aspects of timber preservation,” he said. It is clear that this coordinated world-wide effort is an Osmose strength. “The synergy that it is able to develop between the research effort here in Australia, New Zealand, the US, and elsewhere, has produced some real benefits.” Our local R&D contribution is an integral part of the global Osmose effort advised Mr Akle. “For instance, is our Determite®, a Bifenthrin based insecticide used as an envelope treatment for framing and a glue-line treatment for LVL and plywood. is now being developed for use in international markets. “This is a good example of our ability to contribute to global R&D efforts. We can certainly stand on our-own-two-feet down here.” In terms of Osmose’s program in Australasia, the R&D team has two centres of excellence. The New Zealand laboratory effort in Auckland, lead by Dr. Steve Crimp, and formulating chemist Brett Coombridge, has a strong focus on developing new timber preservative formulations. The Osmose Development Centre in Queensland concentrates much of its effort on simulated and real-situation treated product trials. The centre, run by Stuart Meldrum, operates pilot plants, experimental spray units and a range of other trial equipment. “In Queensland we continue work with our products in development, and test both application technology and efficacy in real-life situations,” said Mr Akle. Osmose has an extensive product testing program in place in Australia and New Zealand. “This program is part of our global testing program - so overall we have an incredible number of test stakes in the ground at key locations all over the world trialing new preservatives.” Mr Akle stressed that Osmose has two critical requirements for any new products developed for use in the Australian or New Zealand markets. They must be proven to perform in the local environment and conditions, and where possible, they must make use of the existing treatment facilities and the already high levels of capital invested by timber processors. “Products also need to be tested for compliance with local statutory requirements, building codes and standards. To this end, it is vital that we have a vibrant research and development effort here in Australasia.” In terms of future innovations, Mr Akle said Osmose is already looking at the next generation of preservatives - beyond ACQ - both copper based and non metallic, and at a number of new developments including improved anti-sapstain formulations. “Looking at enhancing the properties of wood, such as appearance and surface characteristics is also high on the R&D agenda.” “To be able to give consumers and users of treated timber products the confidence they deserve, and to continue to meet changing legislation and other requirements is critical to our future R&D effort. We recognise that what people now want from a piece of timber today differs from what they wanted twenty or thirty years ago,” concluded Mr Akle. |
| APVMA release final report The national agricultural chemical regulator, the Australian Pesticides & Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) is moving to reclassify some end-use applications for timber treated with copper chrome arsenate (CCA). The re-classifiction is one of the conclusions contained in the final report of the APVMA’s review of arsenic timber treatments.The Australian Plantation Products and Paper Industry Council (A3P) welcomed the findings of the review, noting that no evidence had been found that CCA treated timber posed an unacceptable risk to human health and that there was no cause for alarm.In commenting on the review, A3P’s chief executive Belinda Robinson, said the industry supported most of the review’s findings. “In particular, the industry supports the APVMA decision to introduce requirements for improving some treatment plant practices, as well as product labelling and handling information.”“This review has confirmed that used correctly, CCA, is a safe, practical and inexpensive timber treatment,” she said.She indicated that despite CCA having been in use world-wide for more than 70 years without evidence of harm to human or environmental health, the APVMA took a precautionary position on the use of CCA as a timber treatment for “frequent and intimate” contact products, such as children’s play equipment, decking and outdoor furniture.“These restrictions could create an impression that CCA treated products are unsafe, yet neither the APVMA or a series of reviews conducted in the USA, Canada, the EU and New Zealand have found any evidence that CCA treated timber has adverse human health impacts provided, of course, it is appropriately handled and managed,” Ms Robinson said.“Stringent manufacturing and handling procedures are already in place, and distributors provide extensive factual information to customers about treated timber products.”“This decision has effectively reversed the onus of proof. The same precautionary arguments put by the APVMA could apply equally to many of the products that we all have under the kitchen sink and in the garden shed,” she said.Osmose, has indicated that it supports many of the changes prescribed by the APVMA, but is not supportive of the restriction on the use of CCA treated products for a small number of applications.Osmose Australia’s general manager Elias Akle says, “It should be noted that the use of CCA for most other products, such as bearers and joists, fencing, other structural, landscaping and agricultural uses is not impacted by the APVMA decision.” “We will work closely with our customers in the next twelve months to ensure that the industry is able to make any recomended changes and to ensure that a sensible approach to the continued use of CCA in a wide range of applications is taken,” Mr Akle said.He also noted that the APVMA decision allows CCA treated timber to continue to be used in the vast majority of applications reinforcing its status as a safe, durable and inexpensive way to preserve wood for outdoor uses, when used as recommended. “Osmose has already embraced many of the recommendations contained in the APVMA report. We had already moved on labeling and handling changes well before the APVMA review was completed. We saw this as a sensible approach to ensure that the public is aware of how CCA treated timber is to be used and urge users to read this type of information when they carry out building projects,” Mr Akle said. Mr Akle confirmed that scientific data from the EU, United States and New Zealand concludes that if used correctly and relevant occupational health and safety requirements are followed, CCA timber treatment continues to represent a viable alternative to the use of plastic, metal and concrete.” APVMA principle scientist David Loschke said, “Other key outcomes of the review include the requirement that CCA treated timbers be clearly labeled to improve consumer awareness and the introduction of greater controls on the availability and use of CCA by timber treatment plants,” said Dr Loschke. |
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