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Notice
of Impeding USDA Solid Wood Packing Material The
United States Department of Agriculture and Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (USDA/APHIS) intends to amend the regulations for
importation of unmanufactured wood articles on January
1, 2004. The USDA will adopt international standards
entitled, “Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in
International Trade”, that were approved by the Interim Commission on
Phytosanitary Measures of the International Plant Protection Convention. The
USDA/APHIS is going to amend its regulations in order to decrease the
risk of solid wood packing material introducing plant pests into the
United States. Solid wood packing material (SWPM) is defined in
the regulations as wood packing materials used with cargo to prevent
damage by using dunnage, crating, pallets, packing blocks, drums, cases
and skids. The international standards call for wood
packaging material to be either heat treated or fumigated with methyl
bromide and marked with an approved international mark certifying
treatment. The USDA plans to officially announce the implementation of this new regulation by either late October or early November of this year. All customers who utilize wood packing material with the shipment of their cargo should consider adopting measures to conform to these new regulations. For further information visit the USDA website: www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/swp or contact Hesham A. Abuelnaga, USDA Import Specialist at 301-734-5334. |
