Wood packaging material is frequently made of raw wood that may not have undergone sufficient processing or treatment to remove or kill pests and therefore becomes a pathway for the introduction and spread of pests. Furthermore, wood packaging material is very often re-used, recycled or re-manufactured (in that packaging received with an imported consignment may be re-used to accompany another consignment for export). The true origin of any piece of wood packaging material is difficult to determine and thus its phytosanitary status cannot be ascertained. Therefore the normal process of undertaking risk analysis to determine if measures are necessary and the strength of such measures is frequently not possible for wood packaging material because its origin and phytosanitary status may not be known. For this reason, this standard describes globally accepted measures that are approved and that may be applied to wood packaging material by all countries to practically eliminate the risk for most quarantine pests and significantly reduce the risk from a number of other pests that may be associated with that material.
Countries should have technical justification for requiring the application of the approved measures as described in this standard for imported wood packaging material. Requiring phytosanitary measures beyond an approved measure as described in this standard also requires technical justification.
These guidelines are for coniferous and non-coniferous raw wood packaging material that may serve as a pathway for plant pests posing a threat mainly to living trees. They cover wood packaging material such as pallets, dunnage, crating, packing blocks, drums, cases, load boards, pallet collars, and skids which can be present in almost any imported consignment, including consignments which would not normally be the target of phytosanitary inspection.
Wood packaging made wholly of wood-based products such as plywood, particle board, oriented strand board or veneer that have been created using glue, heat and pressure or a combination thereof should be considered sufficiently processed to have eliminated the risk associated with the raw wood. It is unlikely to be infested by raw wood pests during its use and therefore should not be regulated for these pests.
Wood packaging material such as veneer peeler cores[1], sawdust, wood wool, and shavings, and raw wood cut into thin[2] pieces may not be pathways for introduction of quarantine pests and should not be regulated unless technically justified.
Any treatment, process, or a combination of these that is significantly effective against most pests should be considered effective in mitigating pest risks associated with wood packaging material used in transport. The choice of a measure for wood packaging material is based on consideration of:
- the range of pests that may be affected
- the efficacy of the measure
- the technical and/or commercial feasibility.
Approved measures should be accepted by all NPPOs as the basis for authorizing the entry of wood packaging material without further requirements except where it is determined through interceptions and/or PRA that specific quarantine pests associated with certain types of wood packaging material from specific sources require more rigorous measures.
Approved measures are specified in Annex I.
Wood packaging material subjected to these approved measures should display a specified mark shown in Annex II.
The use of marks addresses the operational difficulties associated with the verification of compliance with treatment for wood packaging material. A universally recognized, non-language specific mark facilitates verification during inspection at the point of export, at the point of entry or elsewhere.
References for supporting documentation on approved measures are available from the IPPC Secretariat.
Other treatments or processes for wood packaging material will be approved when it can be demonstrated that they provide an appropriate level of phytosanitary protection (Annex III). The currently measures identified in Annex I continue to be under review, and new research may point, for example, to other temperature/time combinations. New measures may also reduce risk by changing the character of the wood packaging material. NPPOs should be aware that measures may be added or changed and should have sufficiently flexible import requirements for wood packaging to accommodate changes as they are approved.
NPPOs may accept any measures other than those listed in Annex I by arrangement with their trading partners, especially in cases where the measures listed in Annex I cannot be applied or verified in the exporting country. Such measures should be technically justified and respect the principles of transparency, non-discrimination and equivalence.
The NPPOs of importing countries should consider other arrangements for wood packaging material associated with exports from any country (or particular source) where evidence is provided which demonstrates that the pest risk is adequately managed or absent (e.g. areas with similar phytosanitary situations or pest free areas).
Certain movements of wood packaging material (e.g. tropical hardwoods associated with exports to temperate countries) may be considered by the importing NPPO not to carry a phytosanitary risk and thus can be exempted from measures.
Subject to technical justification, countries may require that imported wood packaging material subjected to an approved measure be made from debarked wood and display a mark as shown in Annex II.
The approved measures specified in Annex I and the list of measures under consideration in Annex III should be reviewed based on new information provided to the Secretariat by NPPOs. This standard should be amended appropriately by the ICPM.
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[1] Veneer peeler cores are a
by-product of veneer production involving high temperatures and comprising the
center of a log remaining after the peeling process. [2] Thin wood is considered to be 6mm thickness or less according to the Customs Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (the Harmonized System or HS). |
