BASF has been awarded an innovation prize by the Kuratorium für Waldarbeit und Forsttechnik e. V. (KWF) (Curatorium for Forestry and Forest Technology) for its Complion™ forest protection system based on the use of insecticidal nets for wood. KWF and Munich International Trade Fairs presented the innovation medals at Interforst 2010, to recognize highly innovative forestry solutions.
Insecticidal net technology is a new approach to the protection of wood products in forestry and controls various insect species, such as bark beetles from the family Scolytidae, which breed in bark and wood. The nets are a further development of BASF’s Interceptor® LLIN Technology (long-lasting insecticide impregnated nets), which were developed with a slow-release insecticide to combat the spread of malaria. A series of initial field trials has confirmed the effectiveness of the net technology for use in forestry.
BASF’s insecticidal nets are highly effective and environmentally compatible. They demonstrate a smart fusion of BASF’s expertise in textile finishing and crop protection products combining a unique textile finishing process and a fast-acting insecticide. The insecticide, together with a polymer binder, is applied directly to the fibers of the net in an industrial process. This regulates a controlled release of the active ingredient and ensures long-term effectiveness. Only a small amount of active substance is released continuously on the surface of the net but this is sufficient to actively control the bark beetle. The reusable nets are effective for a long period of up to a season. The nets are tear-resistant and a UV stabilizer prevents them from becoming brittle in the sunshine. Furthermore, the insecticidal nets can be recycled: If the waste from wood that is protected with this system for a limited period is used for generating energy, the nets can be thermally recycled in an environmentally compatible way.
Thomas Zühlke, Product Manager Forestry Europe at BASF, commented on the award of the innovation medal at Interforst: "Innovative solutions are important for sustainable forestry protection. We are pleased that the commission of independent experts has honored a concept that is a smart supplement to conventional methods."
