China Zika Free Packaging Requirements

We've been hearing from customers on the issue of the Zika virus and acquiring pallets that are Zika free. It is clear this is not a phytosanitary issue and shipments (and the associated pallets) and containers need to be treated at the port facility.

The issue was raised because the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China (AQSIQ) has stated shipments from the United States shall be subject to anti-mosquito treatment. The ZIKA virus is a human health issue and is related to mosquitos, not wood-boring insects. Therefore, the recognized heat treatment or fumigation of export wood pallets for ISPM 15 compliance is not applicable for ZIKA compliance of the shipment. The entire consignment and container must be anti-mosquito treated and certified pre-shipment. There is no action a wood pallet company can do to assure ZIKA compliance for their customer’s shipment. It is the shipper’s responsibility to ensure the entire shipment is ZIKA compliant. Inbound shipments without proof of anti-mosquito treatment will be fumigated at the port of discharge in China by the authorities without prior notice. It is the Consignee’s responsibility to inform Shipper (at origin) to provide a certificate proof of treatment before loading the shipment. NWPCA is actively working with the US Department of Agriculture office of Plant Protection and Quarantine (USDA-PPQ) and monitoring the ZIKA issue with partners like the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), and will provide further updates as we receive them.

For the most recent USDA Foreign Agricultural Service update on China’s requirement on shipments from Zika infected countries please visit palletcentral.com and the USDA-FAS FAQ on Zika.

Source: National Wooden Pallet & Container Association

OVERVIEW OF ISPM-15 REQUIREMENTS FOR THE WOOD PACKAGING INDUSTRY

The international transport of solid wood packaging material (WPM) is regulated by the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), which is a subdivision of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of The United Nations. The IPPC issues the regulations known as International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs), and the one specific to WPM is ISPM 15.

ISPM 15 stipulates the treatments and protocols necessary to reduce the risk of the introduction and spread of invasive quarantine pests that results from the usage of WPM for shipping items across the globe. Under ISPM 15, there is no paperwork assigned to WPM that is certifiably treated. Instead, a stamp is applied to the packaging to signify treatment. Countries that choose to participate in the ISPM 15 program only accept and export properly treated and marked WPM.

The ISPM 15 treatment certification stamp has several different forms but all contain the same information: The IPPC “Wheat Stamp”, country of origin (xx), facility code (000), and type of treatment (YY). (In the United States, the third-party inspection agency is also included).

ISPM 15 also stipulates that each participating country regulate WPM through their National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO). For the United States, the NPPO is United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS). Through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), APHIS authorized the American Lumber Standards Committee (ALSC) to administer the ISPM 15 program. Currently, there are two options for certified treatment, conventional heat treatment (HT) and methyl bromide fumigation (MB).

Source: National Wooden Pallet & Container Association

 

Statement on Zika Virus - China and South Korea Shipments

The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China (AQSIQ) has stated shipments from the United States shall be subject to anti-mosquito treatment.

The ZIKA virus is a human health issue and is related to mosquitos, not wood-boring insects. Therefore, the recognized heat treatment or fumigation of export wood pallets for ISPM 15 compliance is not applicable for ZIKA compliance of the shipment. The entire consignment and container must be anti-mosquito treated and certified pre-shipment. There is no action a wood pallet company can do to assure ZIKA compliance for their customer’s shipment. It is the shipper’s responsibility to ensure the entire shipment is ZIKA compliant.

Inbound shipments without proof of anti-mosquito treatment will be fumigated at the port of discharge in China by the authorities without prior notice. It is the Consignee’s responsibility to inform Shipper (at origin) to provide a certificate proof of treatment before loading the shipment.

While specific details on compliance for the entire shipment have not yet been determined, it is clear this is not a phytosanitary issue. The National Wooden Pallet & Container Association (NWPCA) is actively working with the US Department of Agriculture office of Plant Protection and Quarantine (USDA-PPQ) and monitoring the ZIKA issue with partners like the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), and will provide further updates as they are received.

Source: National Wooden Pallet & Container Association

Update on ISPM 15 Participating Countries

Below is an updated list of countries participating in the ISPM 15 program:

North America	Africa
United States*	Egypt
Canada*	Kenya
Mexico	Nigeria
	Senegal
Latin America	Seychelles
Argentina	South Africa
Brazil	Tanzania
Bolivia
Chile	Asia
Columbia
Costa Rica	Australia
Cuba	China
Dominican Republic	India
Ecuador	Indonesia
Guatamala	Israel
Honduras	Japan
Jamaica	Jordan
Nicaragua	Lebanon
Paraguay	Malaysia
Peru	New Zealand
Trinidad & Tobago	Oman
Venezuela	Philippines
	South Korea
Europe	Sri Lanka
European Union**	Syria
Norway	Taiwan
Switzerland	Thailand
Turkey	Vietnam
Ukraine

*The U.S. and Canada currently maintain a bilateral agreement allowing for the movement of WPM across each other's border without ISPM 15 marks.

**European Union - Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom

There are countries not on this list that are enforcing ISPM-15 without any published regulation. It is recommended to use ISPM-15 compliant wood packaging regardless of international destination.

Content courtesy of the NWPCA.

Ox Box Eco-Shield Weatherproof Triple-wall Boxes Perform Beyond Expectations

Challenge:

A North American producer of pest control bait needs to ship their product in bulk to remote locations around the globe.  The packaging required to contain the product would need to be extremely strong to stack thousands of pounds of product and capable of being exposed to challenging environments.

 

Solution:

Ox Box designs and manufactures Eco-Shield bulk boxes strong enough to contain and stack the heavy product.  The weatherproof material enables the boxes to survive long ocean travel while being exposed to the elements.

 

"We now regard Ox Box as the gold standard for packaging rodent bait for remote locations. While loading bait in Tahiti for shipping to the islands, the local ship’s crew stacked some of the Ox Boxes 7 high and then for good measure threw some other stuff on top. The ship then went through some pretty rough seas to get to the project sites. Most of the Ox Boxes were then covered in salt spray during the unloading process and subsequently drenched in a 16 inch tropical downpour over a 48 hour period.  Despite the ill treatment, the Ox Boxes held up beautifully."

 

 

Click here for Eco-Shield product information.

 





Weatherproof Corrugated Crate Boxes Save Parts Distributor Time and Money

Problem:

An international distributor of heavy equipment parts makes wood crates for shipping extra long parts.  The wood crates are expensive and time consuming to build.





Solution:

Ox Box designs and manufactures economical Eco-Shield corrugated crate boxes.  The Eco-Shield crates are weatherproof, extremely strong, and easy to assemble.  New technology that incorporates plastic from recycled water bottles enables the corrugated material to withstand exposure to the elements.  Designed for quick assembly, the Eco-Shield crate boxes enable the distributor to pack and ship efficiently.  In addition, the Eco-Shield crates are recyclable.      

Benefits:
* Eco-Shield crate boxes save money.  Fraction of the cost of expensive wood crates.
* Eco-Shield crate boxes reduce packing time and increase output.
* Lightweight to reduce shipping costs.
* Eco-Shield is recyclable with other corrugated materials.

Click here for Eco-Shield product information.



Eco-Shield Weatherproof Crate Boxes

Eco-Shield Weatherproof Triple-wall Crate Boxes Save Rail Equipment Manufacturer Money

Problem:
A manufacturer of rail car components purchases wood boxes to ship products that are often stored outdoors. The wood crates are heavy and expensive.

Solution:
Ox Box designs and manufactures economical Eco-Shield triple-wall crate boxes. The Eco-Shield crates are weatherproof, extremely strong and light weight. New technology that incorporates plastic from recycled bottles enables the corrugated materials to withstand exposure to the elements. The Eco-Shield boxes have enabled the elimination of the expensive and heavy wood crates. In addition, the Eco-Shield crates are recyclable with other corrugated materials.

Eco-Shield Benefits:
* Eco-Shield crate boxes save money - fraction of the cost of wood crates.
* Durable and weatherproof.
* Lightweight for easier handling and reduced shipping costs.
* Recyclable with other corrugated materials.

Click here for Eco-Shield product information.