Permethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid used in the wood preservation industry. The generally favorable environmental profile of pyrethroids coupled with their high efficacy led to their wide substitution of the chemically resistant organochlorines dieldrin, lindane, and chlordane formerly used for protection of buildings against wood destroying organisms. Much of the research on performance of permethrin and other pyrethroids as insecticides commenced in the 1980s was done in comparison with the performance of organochlorines. This paper reviews research that has been carried out to (1) ascertain the efficacy of permethrin as a wood preservative against insects and marine borers, (2) determine its permanence in wood (3) compare its performance to that of other pyrethroids. The drawbacks of permethrin as compared with other preservatives and pyrethroids are also discussed.

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