The research of SBIO’s Drs. Marshall White and Zhangjing Chen has been featured in two articles over the past week! On WFMZ.com their story is entitled “Environmentally-Friendly Log Treatment Technology Tested in Upper Shore of Maryland.” It begins with explaining how their “environmentally-friendly log treatment is a steam-based, non-chemical alternative to a fumigant called methyl bromide. Methyl bromide, a chemical used to control pests in agriculture and shipping, was identified as an ozone-depleting pollutant nearly two decades ago, and was phased out… for most uses, with log quarantine and pre-shipment as notable exceptions.”

Now, “after more than ten years of dedicated research by Virginia Tech and the USDA Forest Service, the technology is a commercially viable solution to an industry problem. Its revolutionary process employs the application of steam and vacuum,” which is a “more environmentally-conscious and practical science.”

CecilDaily.com featured Drs. White and Chen’s research project in an article on their platform as well with a story entitled “AgriCulture, Elkton company, helping with export testing.” In this article ‘Zhangjing Chen, lead researcher at VTI, said the steam and vacuum method is faster — taking hours instead of days — and does not use methyl bromide a chemical that is already banned for most uses in the United States and European Union … which makes American forest products unwelcome in the export market so the success of the Virginia Tech research is vital.’ In fact, Kelly M. Schulz, Maryland Department of Commerce said that “This is a key moment for international commerce in Maryland. This innovative technology process will reestablish Maryland and the Port of Baltimore as a destination for veneer log exports, which is a billion-dollar industry in the United States.”

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