Fume8 Advantages

Fume8 delivers ethyl formate on site, using nitrogen as an inert carrier gas. Compared with conventional fumigants, it offers clear advantages.

Fast acting

• A Murdoch University-led study found ethyl formate diluted with nitrogen achieved complete control of brown marmorated stink bug in 3 hour exposures (Pest Management Science).
• By comparison, phosphine fumigation of stored grain takes 7 to 20 days in total (GRDC).

Breaks down naturally

• Ethyl formate occurs naturally in some plant oils, fruits and juices (US FDA, 21 CFR 184.1295).
• It breaks down to two naturally occurring products, formic acid and ethanol (Murdoch University).

Lower toxicity

• The US FDA lists ethyl formate as Generally Recognized as Safe for use as a food flavouring (21 CFR 184.1295).
• Its worker exposure threshold is 100 ppm (Murdoch University). The new Australian limit for phosphine is 0.05 ppm (WA Government).
• This means reduced OH&S risk. As with any fumigant, trained operators and gas monitoring are still required.

Better for the environment

• Ethyl formate is not an ozone depleting substance and does not contribute to greenhouse gas emissions (DAFF).
• Fume8 uses nitrogen, the main component of air, as its carrier gas. The ethyl formate formulation already registered in Australia uses carbon dioxide (Inspector-General of Biosecurity).
• Sulfuryl fluoride, a common alternative fumigant, is about 4,800 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas (Scripps Institution of Oceanography).

Logistically efficient

• Fume8 generates the fumigant on site from liquid ethyl formate and nitrogen. There is no need to ship pre-mixed pressurised cylinders.
• Nitrogen overcomes the flammability of ethyl formate during delivery.
• Research has tested in-transit fumigation of containers from Perth to Barrow Island (Inspector-General of Biosecurity). Treating cargo on the move can reduce the time it waits for fumigation. Read the Barrow Island case study.