An ether based polyurethane (EPU) was blended with a synthetic pyrethroid, Bifenthrin (R), to produce a material for potential use as a termite barrier for timber structures. FTIR was used to investigate the interaction between the active component and the polymer; whereas distribution of the active was probed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The aromatic end of the Bifenthrin molecule was found to interact with the hard segments of the EPU, whereas the active end of the Bifenthrin (R) molecule was found to be concentrated at the surface of the blend. The efficacy of the blends was demonstrated to induce high mortality rates when the blend was directly tested against termites. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 116: 1635-1639, 2010