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ISPM
15 Solid Wood Packaging Update
(Sept 19, 2005)
Countries with
implementation changes since last update (July 12, 2005):
Based on published regulations by the countries below, the following
are now or soon will be enforcing ISPM 15:
US, Mexico and Canada have revised their implementation of ISPM 15
with a 3-phase approach:
Phase 1 (September 16, 2005 – January 31, 2006) – No action
will be taken but notification will be issued to importers that are
not using ISPM 15-compliant wood packaging.
Phase 2 (February 1, 2006 – July 3, 2006) – Rejection of
non-compliant wood packaging will be enforced. Quarantine expenses
will be billed to the importer.
Phase 3 (starting July 4, 2006) – Full enforcement, all
imported wood packaging must be ISPM 15-compliant.
Wood packaging from Canada going to the US remains exempt from
treatment and marking if Canadian lumber is used. However, an import
declaration (Wood packaging in this shipment is derived from trees
harvested in Canada or US) is required. A “Made in Canada” stamp is
not acceptable.
Canadian pallets made from imported lumber: APHIS tells us that a
Canadian pallet made from imported lumber must be treated by ISPM-15
guidelines with treatment and marking. They are no longer exempt.
NWPCA is assured by Trevor Yu, Forestry Program Officer with the
Canadian Food Inspection Agency (Canada’s counterpart to the U.S.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) that Canada will not
retaliate at this time; they say U.S. pallets are still exempt from
treatment and marking. NWPCA will notify you if this situation
changes.
Summary information for countries that have begun
implementation or announced plans to implement ISPM-15:
Argentina: June 1,2005
Australia: September 1, 2004 (Variations to ISPM-15:
Bark-free + packing declaration for ISPM-15 compliant WPM, 21-day
rule does not apply); January 1, 2006 will add wood packaging used
in break bulk and air cargo to their ISPM-15 enforcement.
Bolivia: July 23, 2005 (Variation: Debarked WPM)
Brazil: No date -- awaiting publication of date in Official
Journal.
Canada: September 16, 2005 (Note: Phase-in implementation;
exemption granted to U.S.)
Chile: June 1, 2005 (Variation: Debarked WPM)
China: January 1, 2006 (Variation: MB fumigation for softwood
packaging must use the 24-hour treatment schedule.)
Colombia: September 16, 2005
Costa Rica: January 1, 2005
Ecuador: September 20, 2005 (Date change: previously April
26, 2004)
Egypt: October 1, 2005
European Union: March 1, 2005 (See special conditions below)
Guatemala: September 16, 2005
India: November 1, 2004 (Variation: Phytosanitary certificate
required only for WPM not ISPM-15 compliant)
Mexico: September 16, 2005 (Note: Phase-in implementation
since January 1, 2004)
New Zealand: April 16, 2003 (Variation: Bark-free WPM)
Nigeria: September 30, 2004
Panama: February 17, 2005
Peru: March 1, 2005
Philippines: June 1, 2005
South Africa: January 1, 2005 (Variation: 24-MB schedule for
softwood packaging)
South Korea: June 1, 2005 (Variation: MB fumigation for
softwood packaging must use the 24-hour treatment schedule.)
Switzerland: March 1, 2005
Turkey: January 1, 2006 (Variation: Debarked WPM)
U.S.: September 16, 2005 (Note: Phase-in implementation;
exemption granted to Canada -- must provide import declaration that
shipment derived from trees harvested in U.S. or Canada -- import
lumber must be ISPM-15)
Venezuela: June 1, 2005
European Union (EU)
The European Union began enforcement of ISPM-15 March 1, 2005. The
E.U. deferred for a year their debarking and bark-free
specifications (see dunnage exception below), but claim they will
present technical justification for the additional requirements and
begin enforcement March 2006. The E.U. has some variations that need
to be clarified:
Marking: Until December 31, 2007 the E.U. will accept
all previously recognized marks for heat treatment (HT, “no-bug”
logo, and ISPM 15 mark). For fumigation, however, they will only
accept the ISPM 15 mark; if you have wood packaging with the
previous fumigation mark you must re-treat and re-mark.
Dunnage: If dunnage is treated and marked it need not
be bark-free. If dunnage is not marked it must be bark-free and
devoid of pests and signs of live pests.
If the E.U. implements debark and bark-free requirements in March
2006 as they plan, dunnage must comply with the same treatment,
marking and debarking as all other wood packaging.
ISPM-15 Requirements
Compliance with ISPM-15 for wood packaging materials allows for two
treatment options:
Heat Treatment (HT): Wood packaging material should be heated in a
schedule that achieves a minimum core temperature of 56ºC for a
minimum of 30 minutes. The American Lumber Standards Committee
administers the U.S. certification program for heat treatment.
Methyl Bromide (MB) Fumigation: The wood packaging material should
be fumigated with methyl bromide. NWPCA has been tasked by the U.S.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to administer the
fumigation program.
NOTE: ISPM 15 requirements apply to all species of coniferous
(softwood) and non-coniferous (hardwood) packaging materials.
Note: You are receiving this industry news alert because you
are a member of NWPCA or a subscriber to NWPCA E-News for Pallet
Users.
To the best of NWPCA's knowledge,
NWPCA E-News: International Wood Packaging Requirements contains
current information from government sources on International Wood
Packaging Requirements as of the date of publication. NWPCA does not
warrant or assume any legal liability for the accuracy or
completeness of such information. |
