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Wood Packing Regulations

*** WPM - Wood Packing Material

*** ISPM 15 - International Standards for Physanitary Measures Publication 15: Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade 

As of SEPTEMBER 1, 2009, the following countries require ISPM 15 treatment of WPMs:

COUNTRY

ISPM 15 STATUS

IMPORT REQUIREMENTS

Argentina

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.

Australia

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.

Containerized Sea Cargo: Inspected wood found to be lacking the ISPM mark, have live insects, bark, or other quarantine risk material will be subject to onshore treatment.

Break Bulk & Air Cargo: Wood packaging and dunnage not compliant with ISPM 15 will be subject to mandatory treatment, re-export or destruction at the importer's expense.

WPM and dunnage must be free of bark.

ISPM 15 treated WPM does not require a treatment certificate providing that the relevant required packing declaration indicates ISPM 15 compliance and freedom from bark. There is no longer a time limit of 21 days between treatment and shipping if the WPM was treated and marked per ISPM 15.

Bolivia

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.

Bolivia requires WPM to be debarked, but there is no provision that the wood be marked with "DB".

Brazil

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.

Canada

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.

Continental U.S. is exempt from the requirements (must write on export paperwork: “Wood Packing Material of Continental U.S. origin.”)

Chile

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.

WPM must be free of bark.

While Chile will accept a phytosanitary certificate in lieu of the official mark under ISPM15, it is against APHIS policy to issue a phytosanitary certificate for wood packaging used in the transport of commodities.

China

Fully implemented

Wood packaging material as defined by China is wood or wood products used in supporting, packing, and carrying a commodity such as crates, wooden crates, pallet, wooden frames, wooden casks, shafts, wedges, sole timber, sleepers, pallets, dunnage, etc.

Not subject to treatment and certification: materials which are produced by deep processing procedures of synthesizing or heating and pressing wood packing materials such as plywood, fiberboard and flake board, excelsior sawdust, wood shaving, slender and curved pieces as well as less than 6mm pieces of wood.

Colombia

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.

Costa Rica

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.

Dominican Republic

Fully implemented

 All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.

Ecuador

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.

Egypt

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.

European Union

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.

All newly assembled, repaired or recycled unprocessed raw wood packaging materials must be either heat treated or officially fumigated and stamped ISPM 15.

All wood packaging material is required to be debarked and marked DB.

Dunnage is required to be either heat treated or fumigated and officially marked under ISPM15 OR if not treated and marked be bark free and free from signs of live pests. 

All dunnage will be required to be treated and officially marked under ISPM15. Wood packaging materials including dunnage less than 6 mm and processed wood produced from glue, heat, and pressure or a combination thereof (i.e., Oriented Strand Board, plywood, etc) are exempt from treatment and marking.

Guatemala

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.

 Honduras

Fully Implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.

 India

Fully implemented

All WMP must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.

Indonesia

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15

 Israel

  Israel is adopting measures in line with ISPM15 for WPM and will begin enforcement June 23, 2009.

 Japan

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.

Jordan

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.

Kenya

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.

Korea

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.

Wood packaging material that's considered processed wood produced from glue, heat, and pressure or a combination thereof (plywood, veneer panel, particle board, etc...) is exempt from the treatment and marking.

Lebanon

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15

Mexico

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15

New Zealand

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.

Requirements:

  • Must be free from pests
  • Must not contain or be contaminated with greater than 0.01% by weight with extraneous material (e.g. leaves, soil, etc.).
  • Must be bark-free

Treatment Certificate Requirements

All certifications must be original, free of alterations and erasures, and printed in English. Treatment Certificates must contain the following information:

  • A full description of the consignment and wood component
  • All relevant identification marks and brands
  • The number and/or volume of items treated
  • The container number (where applicable)

New Zealand will also accept WPM treated using the following methods (no more than 21 days before export and must be identified by statement on Treatment Certificate): fumigation with methyl bromide or suphuryl flouride, fumigation with phosphine, heat treatment, or chemical preservation to full sapwood penetration.

Nicaragua

Fully implemented 

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.

Nigeria

Fully implemented All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.

Norway

  Norway has proposed adopting measures in line with ISPM15 for WPM and will begin enforcement January 1, 2008.

Oman

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.

 Paraguay

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.

Peru

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.

Philippines

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.

South Africa

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15

Syria

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15

 Taiwan

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15

Trinidad and Tobago

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15

Turkey

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15

WPM must be made from the debarked wood.

Venezuela

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.

Vietnam

Fully implemented

All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.

For more information, please see: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/plant_exports/wpm/country/index.shtml

 

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