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.