Use of birch oil distillate is expected to lead to heated debate in EU

Project leader envisages round two of "Tar Wars" with Brussels

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The use of birch oil distillate (BOD) as a pesticide, herbicide, and a general repellent is expected to become a new target for a fierce struggle between Finland and the European Union.
      The Agrifood Research Finland (MTT) has discovered that the birch oil distillate is an effective repellent against weeds and aphids, as well as slugs and snails.
      BOD would therefore be a natural repellent, and hance one might think a welcome item, but it has not been granted a sales permit by the EU.
     
In order to obtain a sales licence, MTT will first have to have the innovation approved by the EU, which is feared to be a complicated process.
      If the conditions are the same as those that must be met by synthetic products, the mission could be almost impossible, says Principal Research Scientist Kari Tiilikkala from MTT.
     
Market access for natural repellents and pesticides has not been made easier, even though the use of synthetic repellents is to be reduced significantly by 2014, based on EU directives.
      It is true that BOD contains some evaporating compounds, which are to be analysed as soon as the necessary funding can be arranged.
     
Birch oil distillate is a side-product from the processing of birch wood to make charcoal. The amount of BOD distilled per year is as much as 300,000 litres.
      Tiilikkala believes that it would be possible to turn BOD into commercial products, provided that it is not processed too much, in order that it remains a natural product.
      If market access for BOD as a natural product is not made easier, it will cost at least EUR two million in lengthy paperwork to commercialise the product. The necessary funding has not been raised yet.
     
Tiilikkala compares the present problem with another similar spat that Finland had with the EU not long ago, relating to the use of tar as an impregnating agent. In 2003, the EU decided that tar cannot be used to saturate wood and to protect it from the elements.
      However, a permit to sell and to use tar as such was granted when the saturation argument was withdrawn.


Links:
  Agrifood Research Finland (MTT)
  MTT project: Use of Birch oil distillate (BOD) in plant protection

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