Printable Version Requirements for Wood Packaging Materials (WPM) - Phase 2

To help prevent your shipments from being delayed at customs, ensure that they're compliant with the new wood packaging material regulations.

On Feb. 1, 2006, the U.S., Canada, and Mexico will begin to enforce the treatment and marking requirements for wood pallets and crates. However, with certain wood packing material moving between the U.S. and Canada only, the three NAFTA partners will refuse admission to pallets and crates that do not bear approved marks indicating they have been heat-treated or fumigated to eliminate injurious plant pests. When noncompliant WPM is ordered exported, the contents will be exported as well, unless the importer requests the goods to be separated from the WPM and it is safe and feasible to do so. In either circumstance, the importer or party in interest will bear additional expenses, which could be significant.

The new rules for WPM were originally scheduled for full enforcement last September, however a phase-in approach was adopted by the NAFTA members to reduce trade disruption. Since Sept. 16, 2005, each government has been admitting WPM that does not bear an approved mark and issuing notices of noncompliance to importers.

While strict enforcement will be applied to pallets and crates starting Feb. 1, 2006, other forms of WPM, including dunnage, that are not marked to confirm treatment will continue to be allowed entry through July 4, 2006, and notices of noncompliance will continue to be sent to the importers.

Starting July 5, 2006, full compliance will be required of all forms of WPM or shipments may be ordered returned to origin.

There is an exception from the treatment and marking requirement for WPM moving between the U.S. and Canada. It is limited to WPM that is made entirely from trees harvested in the U.S. or Canada and that has been used exclusively within Canada and the U.S. For shipments arriving in Canada from the U.S. there are no special marking or documentation requirements to qualify for the exemption. For shipments coming into the U.S. from Canada, Customs and Border Protection will assume the origin of the WPM is the same as the origin of the goods they contain, unless there is information to the contrary. Thus, unless the documentation indicates otherwise, the WPM in a shipment of Chinese-made goods coming from Canada will be considered Chinese and must be treated and marked. WPM in a shipment of Canadian-made goods coming from Canada will be considered Canadian and need not be marked. To avoid confusion, delays, and unnecessary expense, especially when non-Canadian goods are being shipped from Canada to the U.S. using unmarked exempt WPM, an importer's statement should be included on the customs documentation attesting to the origin of the WPM.

Also, keep in mind that shipments transiting through the U.S. will be treated the same as shipments exported to a U.S. destination. Transit shipments containing noncompliant wood packing material will not be allowed to proceed.

Why the need for the rules arose

The need for the wood packing materials rules arose over concerns about dangerous wood-eating insects traveling from country to country in freight shipments and causing damage to the forests of the import country. In 2002, 90 countries, along with the U.S., adopted new wood packaging material guidelines. The intent is to stop wood-boring insects from infesting the world's forests.

For additional information about the WPM requirements, please visit:

Canada:The Canadian Food Inspection Agency Web site
U.S.: Customs Border and Protection Web Site



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