Background

Regional AQIS staff have reported encountering odours while conducting tailgate inspections of containers carrying xanthate. It is suspected that these odours arise due to a buildup of carbon disulphide gas inside the container during transport. Carbon disulphide is a highly flammable noxious gas.

There is no quarantine risk associated with xanthate as a commodity. The non-commodity quarantine risk associated with these containers has been assessed and has proven to be extremely low. However, from time to time, biosecurity risk material (BRM) please note change from Quarantine Risk Material (QRM) is still detected, both on and in the container.

Instructions - entry management:

Quarantine staff will not be opening the doors of containers carrying xanthates destined for a rural location as part of a tailgate inspection direction. Instead they will conduct an external container inspection.

Brokers must advise front counter staff when containers are carrying potentially hazardous material such as xanthate.

Future imports of containers carrying xanthate destined for a rural location must be directed for an external container inspection instead of a tailgate inspection.

It is recommended that xanthate importers cease using timber packaging materials (e.g. pallets) in these containers.

Brokers must continue to provide container cleanliness certificates as per standard practice.