US Customs (CBP), in collaboration with the Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), has developed a Wood Packaging Material (WPM) checklist for stakeholders and their supply chains. This checklist aims to guide foreign exporters and shippers in verifying WPM compliance before shipping to the United States.
A copy of the checklist is available here.
As per US CBP’s website: “Untreated wood poses a significant risk of introducing plant pests, including pathogens, that can be detrimental to agriculture and to natural, cultivated, and urban forest resources. U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations contain provisions to mitigate plant pest risk presented by the importation of such wood. Because the packaging materials are very often reused, the true origin of any piece of Wood Packaging Material (WPM) is difficult to determine and, thus, its treatment status cannot be ascertained. Therefore, the USDA amended its regulations by adopting the international standard for WPM approved by the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) on March 15, 2002. By adopting the IPPC guidelines, the U.S. harmonized its trade requirements with a host of other countries.”
More information, along with approved treatment options, is available here.
