Wood Packing Material Regulation
Canada, the U.S. and Mexico began enforcing Phase III of the Wood Packing Material (WPM) regulation effective July 5, 2006. Phase III involves the full enforcement on all articles of regulated WPM entering Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. Noncompliant regulated WPM will not be allowed to enter any of these countries. Shippers are strongly encouraged to have all regulated WPM meet the ISPM 15 standard to avoid rejection of WPM in cargo shipments due to noncompliance and additional expense associated with re-exporting out of North America. Phase III is the final phase of this regulation. Rules applicable to each phase are outlined below:
Phase I — September 16, 2005–January 31, 2006
Informed Compliance — notices posted in cargo with noncompliant WPMPhase II — February 1, 2006–July 4, 2006
Enforcement of requirement for violative crates and pallets via re-exportation. Informed Compliance — notices posted in cargo with other types of noncompliant WPMPhase III — July 5, 2006
Full enforcement on all types of WPM. Customers should ensure they understand the new regulations.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection (CBP), began enforcing the third and final phase of the wood packaging material (WPM) regulation on July 5, 2006. All WPM, such as pallets, crates, boxes and pieces of wood used to support or brace cargo, must meet import requirements and be free of timber pests before entering or transiting through the United States.
All WPM entering or transiting through the United States must be either heat-treated or fumigated with methyl bromide as outlined in the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures: Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade (ISPM 15). The WPM must also be marked with an approved international logo, certifying it has been appropriately treated.
APHIS and CBP require the immediate reexportation of any unmarked WPM, as it is not in compliance with the ISPM 15 treatment and marking standard. APHIS and CBP also require the immediate reexportation of any marked WPM that is found to be infested with a live wood-boring pest of the families Cerambycidae (longhorned beetle), Buprestidae (wood-boring beetles), Siricidae (woodwasps), Cossidae (carpenter moth), Curculionidae (weevils), Platypodidae (ambrosia beetles), Sesiidae (clearwing moths) and Scolytidae (bark beetles).
Shipments containing WPM that violate the rule may be allowed entry only if the CBP port director determines that it is feasible to separate the cargo from the noncompliant WPM. An arrangement to have the noncompliant WPM exported from the United States is required before the cargo can be released to the consignee. All costs associated with the reexportation are the responsibility of the importer or party of interest.
The first phase of this regulation became effective Sept. 16, 2005. The regulations are based on the International Plant Protection Convention standards for WPM, which prescribe globally accepted measures to reduce the risk of forest pest introductions via WPM. The United States is one of many countries that have adopted the international standards.
For more information, contact USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) at 1-877-227-5511 or the Canada Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) at 1-800-442-2342, or visit their Web sites.
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)