EUROPEAN HOUSE BORER

In order to protect Western Australia from the potentially devastating effects of European House Borer (EHB), the State Government introduced new legislation on 7 February 2006 called the Agriculture and Related Resources Protection (European House Borer) Regulations 2006.

The regulations restrict the movement, storage, treatment and disposal of untreated pinewood within EHB affected areas, known as Restricted Movement Zones (RMZ). Penalties of up to $2000 apply for any regulation breaches. Assistance from individuals and businesses in complying with these regulations has played a large role in reducing the spread and infestation of EHB.

As the EHB Response Program moves towards containment in 2011, there is an increased risk of EHB spread to non-infested areas.

To date, EHB has been found mainly in dead sections of live pine trees, dead pinewood material and untreated pine structural timbers. However, there has been one confirmed case of structural timber infestation in a home, resulting from nearby EHB infested trees. This discovery was made early last year in a Brigadoon home.

There has also been one case of timber infestation in Albany, where the timber had been transported from Perth.

While the EHB Response has achieved significant progress in the past six years in reducing EHB populations, further strategies for stakeholder groups are needed to contain these populations to already affected areas.

You can play a role in reducing EHB infestation and spread by adhering to the following:

• Susceptible timbers (pine and other softwoods) used for building construction in RMZs must be treated to ensure durability, or non-susceptible materials must be used. Where pine is a primary building element it must be suitable for hazard level H2 or higher (see Building Commission Advisory Notes 2009/002 and 2009/004).
  
  
• Have homes built with untreated structural pinewood regularly inspected by an EHB accredited pest controller. A list of accredited inspectors can be found on the Department of Commerce website.
  
  
• Do not remove pinewood from local government verge side collections, waste bins and pine plantations.
  
  
• Dispose of untreated pinewood waste materials in local government waste bins, or at approved refuse facilities. Waste timber includes firewood, off-cuts, disused furniture, and dead tree trunks and branches.
• Do not leave pinewood waste materials exposed to the environment for more than 72 hours.
  
  
• Treat or secure untreated pinewood you want to keep in suitable pest resistant storage or material coverings.
  
  
• Adhere to EHB Restricted Movement Zone (RMZ) regulations to treat pinewood, or request written authorisation when removing untreated pinewood from RMZ areas.
  
  
• Breaches of RMZ regulations may lead to penalties of up to $2000.
  
  
• EHB descriptions, detailed RMZ maps, and information flyers can be found on this website.