The updated regulation of imports packed with certain wood packaging material (WPM) will take effect on September 16. Imported goods and commodities packed with wooden pallets, crates, boxes, dunnage, blocks, skids, etc, are all subject to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) rule.  Under the expanded order, APHIS Inspectors can require immediate re-exportation of all cargo arriving with untreated WPM.  The order can also include accompanying cargo. Similar restrictions, which currently apply to the importation of shipments packed with WPM from China and Hong Kong , will continue.

The international standard calls for WPM to be heat treated or fumigated and marked with an approved international mark certifying treatment (2 conditions).  The WPM must be marked with the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) logo and the two-letter International Standards Organization (ISO) code for the country which treated the WPM. The marking must also include the unique number assigned by the national plant protection organization to the company responsible for ensuring that the WPM was properly treated, along with either the abbreviation HT (heat treatment) or MB (methyl bromide). Paper certification (treatment certificates) will not be required nor accepted

Exemptions from these treatment and marking requirements are provided for WPM made entirely of (a) manufactured wood material (e.g., particle board, plywood, oriented strand board) and wine and whiskey barrels; (b) thin pieces of wood (6 mm thickness or less); or (c) Canadian origin wood.  WPM arriving from Canada will be allowed to enter the US without the IPPC mark, but will be inspected for pests.

For importations on and after September 16, all WPM must be treated and marked in accordance with the new regulations, unless exempted.

For more information visit: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/swp/import.html .