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Protocols for assessment of wood preservatives
By the Australasian Wood Preservation Committee, September 2015.
Download AWPC-Protocols-2015 (pdf)
Executive summary
The Protocols for Assessment of Wood Preservatives (AWPC Protocols) was first issued by the Australasian Wood Preservation Committee (AWPC) in September 1997. The edition incorporated recognised methods for testing procedures as a basis for approval of new preservative formulations. These methods were compiled by the AWPC from the laboratory and field test procedures for all hazard class exposures (H1-H6), as used by the major government-sponsored research providers in Australasia at that time. Today, the Australian-based providers have been restructured into private fee-for-service businesses. In New Zealand, Scion remains government supported as a Crown Research Institute.
Notwithstanding the changed scenario, the AWPC continues to maintain and facilitate the Protocols.
In 2007 the Protocols were amended to include test procedures to evaluate preservative systems for New Zealand Hazard Class H1.2 and Australian Hazard Class H2F. It also included details of Accelerated Field Simulator (AFS) testing, and an alternative test procedure for Hazard Class H2.
Recent research results and the revision of standards both in Australia and New Zealand has led to the necessity of revising the 2007 Protocols. This new edition incorporates new Foreword methods and makes amendments to or clarifies some of the existing methods. The Lunch Box technique for termite field testing has been removed without prejudice.
The AWPC believes that the various test procedures included in this edition reflect current best practice for assessing candidate wood preservatives, providing a greater choice of assessment procedures than the two earlier editions. The research on new methods supporting this edition was led by the late Dr Mick Hedley, so long an icon of the Australasian preservation research community, and Dr Laurie Cookson, formerly Wood Protection programme leader at the erstwhile CSIRO Materials Science & Engineering. Their work, ably supported by Scion scientists, compared various above-ground (H3) accelerated test methods to determine their respective suitabilities to give fast, reliable comparative results for biological durability.
The AWPC would like to acknowledge all of the constructive comments received from around the world during the various public review drafts.
Dr Harry Greaves AWPC September 2015
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