The Bisj Pole Conservation Project at the Tropenmuseum: Pesticide mitigation during conservation treatment

In 2018, a project was started at the Tropenmuseum (Nationaal Museum van Wereldculturen in the Netherlands) to conserve ten bisj poles from western New Guinea.1 Bisj poles are ancestor or spirit poles made by the Asmat people as part of memorial feasts for the recently deceased. Due to the size of the objects (over 6 meters long), conservation treatment took place in the central hall of the museum, which is open to the public. However, prior to treatment, white crystals from the pesticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) were found on the surface. A safety plan was established in line with the Dutch Occupational Health Regime to reduce exposure and avoid contamination. The conservation treatment involved mechanical removal of the DDT, cleaning of the surface, and consolidation of the surface finishes.