ISPM 15 - Wood Packaging Material Certification Scheme

Disclaimer

The information in this standard is provided on the following basis. The phytosanitary requirements found in this standard may be used as the basis of export certification. However, requirements may be changed by importing countries at any time at short notice or with no notice to New Zealand. This information is provided strictly on the basis that the Crown, the Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry, its statutory officers, employees, agents and all other persons responsible for or associated with the compilation, writing, editing, approval or publication of the information:

1. disclaim any and all responsibility for any inaccuracy, error, omission, lateness, or any other kind of inadequacy, deficiency or flaw in, or in relation to, the information; and
2. without limiting (1) above, fully exclude any and all liability of any kind on the part of all of them, to any person or entity that chooses to rely on this information

Compliance with this standard is not to be taken as a guarantee that any particular goods will be granted access to any overseas market.

Updated December 2009

Country ISPM 15 Requirements: Information from a number of significant export markets for New Zealand goods accompanied by wood packaging material (including dunnage) suggests the following revised dates for their implementation of ISPM 15:

Country	Enforcement Date	Requirements
Argentina	01 June 2006	All wood packaging material must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
Australia	Containerized 01 September 2004 Break bulk and air 01 May 2006	Australia currently accepts wood packing for containerised cargo according to ISPM 15. From January 1, 2006 Australia proposes to extend the adoption of ISPM 15 to cover all wood packing material and dunnage used in supporting, protecting or carrying break bulk and air cargo imported into Australia. In the event of non-compliance, the timber will be treated, destroyed or re-exported. AQIS will continue to accept packaging which meets existing non ISPM 15 AQIS requirements. Inspection will no longer be offered as an option for any imported wood packing and/or dunnage regardless of the mode of transport. For AQIS purposes, ISPM 15 compliant wood packaging: Will not require a treatment certificate. For break bulk and air cargo there will be no requirement to present additional documentation regarding the treatment of timber packing. Instead, the current break bulk and air cargo surveillance programs will be modified to monitor compliance. Will not need to satisfy the AQIS 21 day rule. There is no limitation on time between treatment and shipping. In addition to the ISPM 15 measures, Australia will maintain the following existing requirements: Freedom from bark; and Methyl bromide fumigation at 48 grams per cubic metre for 24 hours (not 16 hours) and the timber at time of treatment being no greater than 200mm in diameter in the smallest plane. Australia will re-evaluate its required treatment period of 24 hours after the findings of an international review of the methyl bromide treatment specified under the ISPM 15 standard have been released. ISPM 15 declaration required on container declaration form (FCL (53 KB) or LCL (53 KB))
Bangladesh		All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
Bolivia	24 May 2005	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15. In addition, WPM must be debarked.
Canada	01 February 2006	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
Chile	01 June 2005	Chile accepts ISPM 15 marked WPM and will also accept a Phytosanitary certificate in lieu of the ISPM 15 mark. Chile requires wood packaging to be debarked.
China	01 January 206	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15. China will accept a Phytosanitary certificate for all non ISPM 15 marked packaging.
Columbia	15 September 2005	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
Costa Rica	01 January 2005	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15. In addition, Costa Rica requires a mark of (TT) for heat treatment and (BM) for Methyl bromide fumigation of WPM.
Dominican Republic	01 July 2006	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
Ecuador	30 September 2005	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
Egypt	06 September 2005	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
European Union (and Switzerland)	01 July 2009	The E.U. member countries now require ISPM 15 on all WPM. Wood packaging material must be subject to either a heat treatment or fumigation as per ISPM 15. Notes: From the 1st July 2009 the following additions to ISPM 15 requirements shall apply for WPM exported to EU countries: 1. Wood packaging material, in the form of packing cases, boxes, crates, drums and similar packings, pallets, box pallets and other load boards, pallet collars, actually in use in the transport of objects of all kinds, except raw wood of 6 mm thickness or less, and processed wood produced by glue, heat and pressure, or a combination thereof, the wood packaging material shall: - be free from bark with the exception of any number of individual pieces of bark if they are either less than 3 cm in width (regardless of the length) or, if greater than 3 cm in width, of not more than 50 cm2 in area. 2. Wood used to wedge or support non-wood cargo, including that which has not kept its natural round surface, except raw wood of 6 mm thickness or less and processed wood produced by glue, heat and pressure, or a combination thereof, the wood shall: - be free from bark with the exception of any number of individual pieces of bark if they are either less than 3 cm in width (regardless of the length) or, if greater than 3 cm in width, of not more than 50 cm2 in area.
Guatemala	26 January 2005	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15. Guatemala’s regulation is reciprocal based on exporting country requirements.
Hong Kong		Not likely to implement.
Honduras	25 February 2006	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
India	01 November 2004	A Phytosanitary certificate is required unless the WMP is ISPM 15 compliant and marked accordingly. All treatments must be endorsed on the Phytosanitary certificate unless marked as ISPM 15.
Indonesia	01 September 2009	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
Israel	01 October 2009	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
Japan	01 April 2007	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
Jordan	17 November 2005	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
Lebanon	01 July 2006	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
Malaysia	01 July 2010	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
Mexico	01 February 2006	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
New Caledonia	01 June 2006	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
Nicaragua		All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
Nigeria	30 September 2004	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
Oman	01 December 2006	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
Panama	17 February 2005	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
Paraguay	28 June 2005	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
Peru	01 September 2005	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15. Wood packaging must be manufactured from debarked wood.
Philippines	01 June 2005	All wood packaging material (such as cases, crating, dunnage, drums, load boards, packing blocks, pallets, pallet collars, and skids) shall comply with ISPM 15 requirements.
Samoa		Phytosanitary certificate is required unless wood packaging material is ISPM 15 compliant. If not ISPM 15 compliant, then one of the following treatments is required within 21 days of export from New Zealand. Fumigation with methyl bromide or sulphuryl fluoride at 80g/m3 for more than 24 continuous hours, at a minimum temperature of 10°C. Phosphine fumigation at 1.41 g/m3 for 72 hours at a minimum 10°C and maximum 30°C. Filleted to 300mm maximum. Heat treatment at 70°C core temperature for more than 4 hours. Or by an approved chemical preservation method. All wood packaging material must be free of bark, quarantine pests, decay and other fungi and soil. All wood packaging material will be inspected on arrival in Samoa.
Seychelles	01 March 2006	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
Singapore		Recommending that importers meet the requirements of ISPM- 15 to meet re-export needs. Singapore will not demand ISPM-15 in its own right. Phytosanitary Certificates will meet Singaporean needs as an interim measure.
South Africa	01 March 2005	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
South Korea	01 June 2005	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15. Containers will be randomly selected for inspection to confirm wood packaging complies with ISPM 15. Failure to comply with ISPM 15 will result in the wood packaging material being directed for treatment.
Sri Lanka	08 September 2010	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
Syria	01 April 2006	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
Taiwan	01 January 2009	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
Thailand	24 February 2010	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
Turkey	01 January 2006	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15. All WMP must be debarked, subjected to fumigation by Methyl bromide or heat treated and marked in accordance with ISPM 15.
United States	01 February 2006	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
Vietnam	05 June 2006	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
Venezuela	01 June 2005	All WPM must be treated and certified according to ISPM 15.
Other countries/regions		Information is posted on this web-page as it becomes available

Wood Packaging Material Certification Scheme

New Zealand manufactures of wood packaging material choosing to produce ISPM 15 compliant wood packaging for export to countries or regions that will accept only such material, must be registered by Biosecurity New Zealand. For more information on how to become approved to apply the internationally recognised mark please visit:

http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/regs/exports/plants/stds

For most countries or regions "Wood Packaging Material" requiring the ISPM 15 mark includes all: Wood or wood products (excluding paper products and manufactured wood e.g. plywood) used in supporting, protecting or carrying a commodity (including dunnage).

Dunnage is defined as "Wood packaging material used to secure or support a commodity but which does not remain associated with the commodity". This would include bearers and gluts, but not fillets or spacers.

For more information please visit: The International Standard (ISPM 15)

Exporters required to use ISPM 15 compliant wood packaging material should confirm that their supplier is currently approved under the Biosecurity New Zealand registration scheme:

List of registered manufacturers of ISPM 15 compliant wood packaging material (56 KB)

Page last updated: 11 December 2009