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Check treatment requirements

If you are importing or exporting goods you want to know how the MPI treatment programme works.

Treatment programme overview and general requirements [PDF, 584 KB]

For importers

Check treatment requirements for your product in the relevant import health standard.

Find the import health standard for your goods

Approved biosecurity treatments

For goods that need treatment on arrival for border clearance (for example, if insects were found on arrival), check MPI's treatment standard.  

Treatment Requirement: Approved Biosecurity Treatments [PDF, 1.2 MB]

For exporters

Check treatment requirements in the relevant:

For NZ treatment providers

Detailed information for treatment providers about treatment options (including methyl bromide and insecticide aerosols), treatment provider standards, and how to get approved as a treatment provider is on another web page.

Find information for treatment providers

Approved NZ treatment providers

If you need a treatment provider in New Zealand, they must be approved by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to treat:

  • imported risk products on arrival
  • products for export to meet destination country requirements.

Find MPI-approved NZ treatment providers [PDF, 158 KB]

Offshore treatment providers 

Some targeted imported risk goods need to be treated before arrival in New Zealand to prevent the introduction of pathogens (causing diseases) and live pests. New Zealand requires that only registered treatment providers may be used to conduct offshore treatment of targeted risk goods. Where treatment is required, if break-bulk or containerised brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) risk goods (targeted for BMSB management) arrive at the New Zealand border without being treated, it is likely that they will not be allowed to be unloaded and they will be shipped out of New Zealand territory. Such actions will be at the importer’s expense.

However, MPI doesn't approve or require approved offshore treatment providers for all imported risk goods. It is recommended that you check whether your imported products require an approved offshore treatment in the relevant import health standard. It is advisable to use a recommended National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) treatment provider, where possible.

Offshore Treatment Providers - DAFF (agriculture.gov.au)

Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) treatment

MPI and the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) introduced the joint Offshore BMSB Treatment Providers' Scheme (the scheme) in the 2018-2019 season. This treatments scheme covers countries that export risk goods to Australia and New Zealand.

The scheme sets out the minimum registration and compliance requirements for approved treatment providers that do BMSB treatments. BMSB treatments cover targeted goods going to Australia and/or New Zealand during the BMSB risk season.

The BMSB treatment rates between the 2 countries have also been aligned to make it easier for shippers, exporters, importers, and treatment providers to comply with the treatment requirements.  Treatment providers who meet the scheme requirements will be added to the list of approved offshore BMSB treatment providers by DAFF (as the administrators).

Full details about the scheme including registration and re-registration forms, and approved treatment providers are on the Australian Department's website.

Australia-New Zealand Offshore BMSB Treatment Providers’ Scheme

Offshore BMSB Treatment Providers and of 2019-20 season wrap up – Newsletter [PDF, 520 KB]

Approved offshore BMSB treatment providers

The approved offshore BMSB treatment provider list does not include treatment providers in Australia or New Zealand. This is because New Zealand bound goods are not permitted to be treated for BMSB in Australia on the way to New Zealand, and vice versa. Treatments can be carried out at other tranship ports if unable to be performed at origin.

Treatment providers on the below list are registered under the Offshore BMSB Treatment Providers Scheme and have demonstrated their capacity to conduct BMSB treatments for the BMSB risk season. The list will be updated as required and providers can be suspended or withdrawn, so check before ordering a treatment.

The approved provider will be able to treat any relevant cargo with the treatment they are approved for.

You may notice the look and feel of the offshore approved treatment providers website has changed (from 2023) – but there are no changes in import requirements for BMSB. You can now search by location and treatment types under the "list of treatment providers".

Approved treatment types for BMSB remain the same as per the Approved Biosecurity Treatments Standard.

Use the contact below if you have any questions.

Offshore Treatment Providers - DAFF (agriculture.gov.au)

Treatment providers need to reregister

Treatment providers that were registered under the scheme during the previous BMSB season must complete a renewal application for the next season to be included on the approved list of treatment providers. Generally the list will be updated by 1 August each year.

Consignment suitability

Treatment options may vary according to the consignment type (suitable for BMSB overwintering) and the packing of a consignment (packed so that heat or fumigation treatment is effective).

Consignment preparation for treatment [PDF, 1 MB]

Specific treatment requirements for each treatment option are:

Heat [PDF, 889 KB]

Methyl bromide [PDF, 1 MB]

Sulfuryl fluoride [PDF, 1 MB]

Insecticide treatment for water and aircraft (New Zealand only)

Consignment Preparation

The sets out the minimum requirements for performing insecticide treatments on watercraft and aircraft and/or associated packaging imported as cargo for BMSB purposes as per the Approved Biosecurity Treatments Standard VCE1e.

BMSB Consignment Suitability for Insecticide Application [PDF, 199 KB]

Documentation

Insecticide applicators should use the below template for BMSB insecticide treatment certification and records.

Insecticide Treatment Certificate for BMSB sample [PDF, 90 KB]

Standards and documents for biosecurity treatments

​​​Treatments applied for biosecurity purposes are part of measures used in managing the risk of introduction of exotic pests and diseases. These treatments are only effective when conducted correctly.

It is important that all treatment providers understand and follow the requirements to effectively treat consignments for import into New Zealand.

Our standards outlining best practice methodologies for applying biosecurity treatments are available below.

Expand all

Treatment of containerised risk goods from Italy, and targeted vehicles, machinery and parts from BMSB risk countries

You must meet requirements under the Import Health Standard for Vehicles, Machinery, and Parts.

IHS for Vehicles, Machinery, and Parts [PDF, 571 KB]

Search for BMSB import conditions with the IHS summary tool

You'll also need to meet requirements for sea containers. 

Import Health Standard for Sea Containers

Other approved offshore treatment providers

If you're importing goods that require treatment, we recommend you use a treatment provider approved by that country's biosecurity agency.

Check for acceptable treatment providers in the Australian Scheme list:

Offshore Treatment Providers - DAFF (agriculture.gov.au)

Australia

Class 12.1: Methyl bromide

Class 12.2: Sulfuryl fluoride

Class 12.3: Heat

Requirements for NZ treatment providers

Treatment providers in New Zealand must: meet appropriate standards use approved treatment options be MPI-approved.

Read about provider standards, treatment options, and approvals

Methyl bromide research 

Assessment of Methyl Bromide recapture regimes [PDF, 2.8 MB]

The purpose of this project was to investigate the effectiveness of methyl bromide (MeBr) recapture systems currently used in New Zealand. Two recapture systems were evaluated:

  • physical system  (carbon sequestering of methyl bromide)
  • chemical system (uses a proprietary liquid solution to limit the release of gas to the atmosphere).

A direct comparison between the effectiveness of the different recapture systems on logs and sawn timber clearly illustrates the differences in the rate at which the concentrations of MeBr can be reduced in the treated space following fumigation. For logs, the physical system recaptured 90.89% of the available MeBr after just 2 hours of operation, while the chemical system recaptured 47.66% after 4 hours.

Optimise Methyl Bromide Application (MeBr) [PDF, 2.6 MB]

This project consisted of 3 components:

  • Collecting baseline data of how MeBr reacts under different environmental and loading conditions.
  • Comparison of the location of monitoring lines under ICCBA to other configurations and the impact on MeBr monitoring accuracy.
  • The impact of physical barriers to reduce MeBr loss through container floors under various environmental factors (for example, wind and temperature).

Who to contact

If you have questions about approved treatment providers and treatments, email treatments@mpi.govt.nz

If you have BMSB specific enquiries, email bmsb@mpi.govt.nz

To report a pest, call our pest and disease hotline on 0800 80 99 66.

MPI business units