A long-term field trial was conducted in Australia to compare the in-ground performance of two oil-borne preservative formulations, conventional high temperature creosote (HTC) and a modified creosote formulation, pigment emulsified creosote (PEC). Three retentions (50, 100 and 200 kg/m³) were targeted for each formulation. An additional retention of PEC formulation (308 kg/m³), which contained 200 kg/m³ of creosote, was also included in the trial. Treated and untreated Eucalyptus regnans sapwood specimens were exposed horizontally below-ground to a range of economically important species of subterranean termites and wood decay fungi at two tropical and one semi-arid test sites. After 11 years of exposure, specimens treated with 200 kg/m3 of HTC and specimens treated with PEC containing 200 kg/m3 of creosote continue to perform well. Results of the field trial demonstrate that PEC will perform comparably to HTC on an equivalent creosote retention basis.

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