IPPC workshop on the practical application of ISPM No.15 28 February 2005 - 04 March 2005

1. IPPC workshop on the practical application of ISPM No.15 28 February 2005 - 04 March 2005 Vancouver, Canada Brent Larson, Standards Officer IPPC Secretariat, FAO, Rome, Italy

2. ISPM No.15 “Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade” - An Overview -

3. Scope of ISPM No.15 • To reduce the risk of introduction and/or spread of pests associated with wood. • Wood packaging material: • including dunnage; • made of coniferous and non-coniferous; • used in international trade.

4. Basis for Regulating (Sec.1) • Countries should have technical justification for requiring the application of the approved measures described in this standard

5. Basis for Regulating (Sec.1) • Raw wood may serve as a pathway for pests. • Wood packaging is reused, recycled or remanufactured. • Origin and phytosanitary status of wood packaging may not be known.

6. Basis for Regulating (Sec.1) • Globally accepted measures applied to wood packaging reduces the risk of pests.

7. pallets crating drums load boards skids dunnage packing blocks cases pallet collars Regulated Wood Packaging Material (Sec.2) Wood packaging material includes:

8. Regulated Wood Packaging Material (cont.) Wood packaging material, which sufficiently processed to eliminate pests or which may not be pathways for pests, should not be regulated unless technically justified.

9. Regulated Wood Packaging Material (cont.) Processing includes: • Using glue, heat and pressure or a combination; • Veneer peeler cores, sawdust, wood wool, shavings; • Raw wood cut into thin pieces (e.g. 6mm thickness or less).

10. Approved Measures (Sec.3.1) • Approved measures should be accepted by all NPPOs without further requirements: • Currently these are: • Heat treatment; • Methyl bromide fumigation.

11. Approved Measures (ANNEX I) Heat treatment (HT) • Wood core temperature of 56°C for a minimum of 30 minutes.

12. Approved Measures (ANNEX I) Methyl bromide fumigation (MB) The minimum standard for MB treatment is as follows: The minimum temperature should not be less that 10°C and the minimum exposure time should be 16 hours.

13. Approved Measures Requiring phytosanitary measures beyond an approved measure requires technical justification.

14. Marking for Approved Measures (ANNEX II) Wood packaging material subjected to the approved measures should display a specified mark shown in Annex II.

15. Marking for Approved Measures (cont.) • The mark should at minimum include: • Symbol; • ISO two letter country code followed by a unique number assigned by the NPPO • Abbreviation for the approved measure used • Additional information used for identifying specific lots may be added.

16. Marking for Approved Measures (cont.) • Marking should be: • According to the model shown in Annex II; • Legible; • Permanent and not transferable; • Placed in a visible location on at least two opposite sides of the article being certified. • Colors of red/orange should be avoided since these are used in the labeling of dangerous goods.

17. Marking for Approved Measures (cont.) • Where debarking is required the letters DB should be added to the abbreviation of the approved measures. • Other information may be included provided it is not confusing, misleading, or deceptive.

18. Marking for Approved Measures (cont.) • Recycled, remanufactured or repaired wood packaging should be re-certified and re-marked after treatment. • Shippers should be encouraged to use appropriately marked wood for dunnage.

19. Marking for Approved Measures (ANNEX II) The mark shown below is to certify that the wood packaging material that bears the mark has been subjected to an approved measure.

20. Measures Pending Approval (Sec.3.2) Other treatments or processes will be approved when it can be demonstrated that they provide an appropriate level of phytosanitary protection. (Annex III)

21. Measures Pending Approval (cont.) The ICPM agreed to ask the International Forestry Quarantine Research Group (IFQRG) to review scientific information regarding ISPM No. 15 treatments.

22. Other Measures (Sec.3.3) • If a NPPO wants to apply measures other than the approved measures, these measures should be technically justified. • The NPPOs of importing countries should consider other arrangements where there is evidence that the pest risk is adequately managed or absent.

23. Other Measures (cont.) • Subject to technical justification, countries may require that imported wood packaging subjected to an approved measure be made from debarked wood. • Where debarking is required the letters DB should be added to the mark of the approved measure.

24. Dunnage (Sec.4) IPPC Definition: Wood packaging material used to secure or support a commodity but which does not remain associated with the commodity.

25. Dunnage (cont.) • Dunnage should also be treated and marked in accordance with Annex II as having been subjected to an approved measure. • If not, it requires special consideration and should be made from bark-free wood.

26. Compliance Checks on Procedures Applied Prior to Export (Sec.5.1) The NPPO of exporting country has responsibility for ensuring that systems for exports meet the requirements set out in this standard.

27. Compliance Checks on Procedures Applied Prior to Export (cont.) • Compliance checks can be accomplished through: • Monitoring certification and marking systems; • Establishing inspection procedures (ISPM7); • Registration or accreditation and auditing of companies applying the measures.

28. Procedures upon Import (Sec.6) Wood packaging materials are associated with almost all shipments including those not normally the target of inspection.

29. Procedures upon Import (cont.) • Cooperation with organizations not normally involved with meeting phytosanitary export conditions/import requirements is important. • Cooperation with Customs organizations should be reviewed to ensure effectiveness in detecting potential non-compliance.

30. Measures for Non-compliance at Point of Entry (Sec.6.1) • Action may be taken if wood packaging material does not have the required mark, or there is evidence of pests. • The action may take the form of treatment, disposal or refused entry. • NPPO of exporting country may be notified (based on ISPM 13).

31. Disposal (Sec.6.2) • Disposal is a risk management option where treatment is not available or desirable. • Recommended methods for disposal: • Incineration; • Burial; • Processing; • Other effective methods endorsed by NPPO.

32. IPPC Questions & Answers • The Q&A relates to: • Registration and use of the mark concerning intellectual property; • When, where and how the mark can be used; • What the mark should look like; • Whether particular reproductions of it proposed at national level are in line with Annex II. • On the web at www.ippc.int

33. The final word • In case the standard does not provide guidance and issues on how the standard should be interpreted are raised, countries should interpret and implement the standard.

34. Brent Larson, Standards Officer, IPPC Secretariat, FAO Rome, Italy