[Taxacom] Problems with Express Courier International?

[bti at dsmz.de]

Again, not quite true. There are ways of transporting biological  
materials based on international conventions that obviously avoids  
irradiation or other forms of sterilisation/deactivation
http://www.wfcc.info/Documents/EBRCN_information_resource_on_transport_080508.pdf
While this does not apply to dead insects in boxes perhaps one should  
investigate how international shipments are made of various enzymes  
and DNA primers etc, without them being destroyed. There are UN/IATA  
conform labelling and packaging.

I would assume that the example of the plates can be written off  
because a) they weren't packaged properly and b) did not have  
appropriate UN conform labelling. I am sure that plates, cups etc. are  
all shipped on a global basis without every single one being broken.

Brian

Quoting Robin Leech <releech at telusplanet.net>:

> OK, point made.  I heard one ask, "Hey!  What does Fra-gil-ee mean?"
> Robin
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dean Pentcheff" <pentcheff at gmail.com>
> To: <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
> Sent: Friday, June 25, 2010 8:27 AM
> Subject: Re: [Taxacom] Problems with Express Courier International?
>
>
> Why does this remind me of the package we received (in New York) from
> my grandmother (in England) which contained the shattered remains of
> several porcelain plates. She had simply wrapped them in parcel paper
> and shipped them.
>
> She was quite miffed that they'd been destroyed. After all, she had
> clearly written "These are breakable plates. Please handle this parcel
> gently" on the wrapper.
>
> -Dean
> --
> Dean Pentcheff
> pentcheff at gmail.com
> dpentche at nhm.org
>
> On Fri, Jun 25, 2010 at 9:29 PM, Robin Leech <releech at telusplanet.net>
> wrote:
>> Has it occurred to anyone to suggest that Customs or whatever agency
>> may open the package, but PLEASE, do not X-ray, bombard with
>> destructive rays?
>> Put on the outside, "FOR DNA RESEARCH AND STUDIES" -
>> anything that triggers the checking people to something else?
>> Robin
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: <bti at dsmz.de>
>> To: <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
>> Sent: Thursday, June 24, 2010 11:30 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Taxacom] Problems with Express Courier International?
>>
>>
>>> This is not quite true. Those of us working with microorganisms
>>> regularly ship living or otherwise viable material, as well as DNA.
>>> There are international regulations dealing with the shipment of such
>>> material, as well as a variety of national import/export regulations.
>>> If one conforms and materials are properly, packaged and declared
>>> there are usually no/few problems. The link given clearly states what
>>> type of "biological material" they are talking about. The original
>>> posting also refers to insects and one could well imagine that
>>> irradiation of dead plant or animal material is meant to destroy any
>>> potential pathogens that the material should not be carrying.
>>>
>>> Brian
>>>
>>> Quoting Heok Hee Ng <heokhee at nus.edu.sg>:
>>>
>>>> Nicholas,
>>>>
>>>> I believe the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service regularly
>>>> irradiates biological material with gamma radiation. An example can
>>>> be seen at
>>>> https://www.adelaide.edu.au/acad/images/Import%20Conditions%20Database%20-%20ICON%20-%20AQIS.pdf
>>>> .
>>>> They do it for material entering Australia and I presume they would
>>>> do it for material exiting Australia as well.
>>>>
>>>> HH
>>>> ––––––––––
>>>> Heok Hee Ng
>>>> Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research
>>>> Department of Biological Sciences
>>>> National University of Singapore
>>>> 6 Science Drive 2 #03-01
>>>> Singapore 117546
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
>>>
>>>
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Dr.B.J.Tindall
DSMZ-Deutsche Sammlung von Mikro-
organismen und Zellkulturen GmbH
Inhoffenstraße 7B
38124 Braunschweig
Germany
Tel. ++49 531-2616-224
Fax  ++49 531-2616-418
http://www.dsmz.de
Director: Prof. Dr. J. Overmann
Local court: Braunschweig HRB 2570
Chairman of the management board: MR Dr. Axel Kollatschny

DSMZ - A member of the Leibniz Association (WGL)