Wood Packaging Material Regulations - Enforcement in North America and Mexico

March 2006

The United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS)  has set standards for Wood Packaging Material (WPM) imported into the USA. The governing rule* states that all regulated wood packaging material shall be appropriately treated and marked under an official program developed and overseen by the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) in the country of export.

The USA, in cooperation with Mexico and Canada, began enforcement of the ISMP15** standard for regulated wood packing material entering North America on September 16, 2005. The strategy for enhanced enforcement is to be conducted in three phases:

Phase 1: 

16 September 2005 to 31 January 2006. Implementation of an Informed Compliance via account managers and notices posted in connection with cargo that contains non-compliant WPM. (This stage of the enforcement phase has concluded.)

Phase 2: 

1 February to 4 July 2006. Rejection of violative crates and pallets through re-exportation from North America. Informed compliance via account managers and notices posted in cargo with other types of non-compliant WPM (dunnage, blocking and bracing) shall remain enforce through July 05, 2006.

From 1 February 2006. Notification of potential rejection action at the ports of entry for of Live timber pests, (The term “timber pests” represents insects of Cerambycidae, Buprestidae, Siricidae, Cossidae, Curculionidae, and Scolytidae) found within regulated wood packing material that displays ISPM 15 marks.

Phase 3

From 5 July 2006. Full Enforcement on all articles of regulated Wood Packing Materials entering USA and North America. Non-compliant Regulated WPM will not be allowed to enter USA.

Importers and Suppliers of US imports are strongly encouraged to ensure that all regulated Wood Packing Material (WPM) meet the ISPM 15 standard to avoid delays or rejection of WPM in cargo shipments at US ports of entry due to noncompliance of the ISPM 15 Standard.

Further information can be found on the USDA APHIS webpage on Wood Packaging Materials.

Related Articles:

Wood Packaging Material - International Guidelines

*7 CFR 319.40 - Importation of Wood Packaging Material, as published on September 16, 2004

** ISPM 15: The 2002 Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade are an International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) developed under the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC).

The Guidelines were developed after the IPPC determined that the movement of solid wood packaging material made of unprocessed raw wood is a pathway for the introduction and spread worldwide of a variety of pests. The Guidelines list the major categories of these pests and establish a heat treatment and a fumigation treatment determined to be effective against them.