Long-term protection of stored lumber against mould, stain, and specifically decay: A comparative field test of fungicidal formulations

IRG/WP 3281

A J Cserjesi, A Byrne, E L Johnson

The problem of decay in packaged, unseasoned lumber stored for many months has become of major importance in recent years. Large financial claims have resulted from decay in Canadian lumber stored at length in seaports and storage yards of distributors. For decades acceptable protection from moulds and sapstain was readily achieved with chlorinated phenols applied at appropriate treating levels. However, in recent years, the use of chlorinated phenols in sawmills has become controversial, out of concern for its persistance in the environment and because of its broad spectrum of toxicity to practically all organisms. Although it was realized that this toxicity to humans had been over-emphasized, the discovery of traces of chlorinated dibenzodioxins as a minor impurity of some chlorinated phenols has generated further pressure to abandon the use of the latter. Forintek Canada Corp. has done extensive laboratory and field testing of fungicides for the lumber industry. Most of the field experiments were four-month studies (1) although one dealt with a two year evaluation of preservative retention and protection (2). In June 1981, under contract to Agriculture Canada, we began a field test of five new fungicidal formulations, comparing them with sodium tetra- and pentachlorpheates (NaTCP).


Keywords: ANTI-STAIN CHEMICALS; MOULDS; FIELD TEST; MBT; NaTCP; TCMTB; Cu-8; TBP; IPBC; HEM-FIR; STAIN; DECAY; SODIUM TRIBROMOPHENOL

Conference: 84-05-28...06-01 Ronneby Brunn, Sweden


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