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Wood Packaging Materials
July 8, 2008

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a notice reminding importers to avoid potential losses by making sure that wood packaging materials (WPMs) used to transport shipments are treated and marked in compliance with International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 (ISPM 15) before they leave the country of origin.

(ISPM 15 entitled, \\\"Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade” calls for affected WPM to be either heat treated or fumigated with methyl bromide (MB), and marked in a certain way certifying treatment. The International Plant Protection Convention (IPCC) is working to create a revised version of ISPM 15.)

CBP May Reject Shipments that are Infested, Accompanied by Uncertified Wood Packaging

Aside from the risk that wood pests pose to the U.S. agricultural system, the potential loss of time and money to importers that do not comply is significant, as CBP may reject shipments that are infested or accompanied by uncertified wood packaging. If importers try to send the shipment back to the point of origin for proper treatment and certification, re-shipment can take months.

Alternatively, if the importer attempts to export the infested shipment to another country, it may be rejected, as many other nations share U.S. import standards in this area. Finally, if the importer abandons the shipment altogether, financial penalties result.

Importers Responsible for State of Wood Even if Falsely Certified

Additionally, importers must be careful to avoid fraudulent WPM certifiers, who may stamp the wood as treated without actually making sure that the pests inside have been eradicated.

Importers are responsible for the state of the wood regardless of whether its certification is false.