Australia Develops Eco-Friendly Fumigant

SYDNEY - Sep 2/04 - SNS -- A environmentally friendly fumigant discovered by the Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in 1994 will be brought to market through a global agreement with the industrial gas company, the BOC Group.

CSIRO and BOC have agreed to commercialize ethanedinitrile (EDN) as a fumigant to replace the ozone-depleting methyl bromide which is being phased out under the Montreal Protocol. Field tests have shown it to be more effective than methyl bromide in treating soil, timber and imported feed for livestock.

"This agreement is a major achievement for Australia because it allows Australia to meet its obligations as a signatory to the Montreal Protocol," says Mehrdad Baghai, CSIRO's Executive Director of Business Development and Commercialization. "This is an example of a new science industry partnership that is required for successful commercialization."

The global market for methyl bromide is estimated to be more than $500 million. With the phase out of methyl bromide scheduled in 2006, organizations worldwide are racing to find suitable alternatives.

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