Boron & the Environment

The primary, active ingredient in Termite BLOCKER, Boron, is found in many of the products you use in your home every day.

Boron Is The Main Ingredient

As the primary ingredient in a plethora of household products, Boron has been in use for years as a safe and effective additive. One of the first home uses was as a cleaning additive. From hand soaps to laundry detergents, Boron has been used as a safe and effective ingredient to clean hands and freshen laundry. It is also used in many personal care products such as eye wash and topical ointments for preventing bacteria from growing. You can also find Boron in much of your glass cookware where its properties assist in giving glass better stability to wide temperature fluctuations.

The first notice that Boron might be an effective pesticide and wood preservative was discovered in the early 1900's. Boron miners observed that the typical presence of body lice and other related parasites (often encountered in underground mines) did not occur. Also, the support timbers did not suffer from the typical degradation from wood rot and insect attack. The presence of Boron appeared to offer large benefits to the people working in the mine without any higher exposure concerns from the Boron itself.

Interest in Boron as a wood preservative has increased in recent years due to new concerns regarding current chemical treatments that are derived from heavy metal and arsenic compounds. New studies indicate that these compounds are more mobile than once believed and pose a higher risk to humans and the environment than anticipated. Heightened awareness of safety and increased damage from wood destrouing organisms have promped states such as Hawaii to promote the use of Boron in treating all of the lumber used in framed lumber construction.

Termite BLOCKER is a water soluble inorganic borate salt for the protection and treatment of lumber and wood-foam composite structural components against decay fungi and wood boring beetles including Powder Post Beetles (Lyctidae), Furniture Beetles and Old House Borers (Anobiidae) and Longhorn Beetles (Cerambycidae). This treatment is not effective against wood staining fungi and may require mixing with compatible products. Termite BLOCKER also controls Subterranean Termites (Reticulitermes, Coptotermes, Heterotermies), Dampwood Termites (Zootermopsis), Drywood Termites (Kalotermes, Incisitermes), and Carpenter Ants (Camponotus).

Environmental Hazards

Do not apply directly to water, or to areas where surface water is present or to intertidal areas below the mean high water mark. Do not contaminate water when disposing of equipment wash-waters or rinsate.