Canadian exporters prepare for the United States ISPM exemption to end

December 20, 2012
Canadian exporters prepare for the United States ISPM exemption to end
HWP pallets has written about the approaching change in US border regulations regarding ISPM 15 in previous articles. This month, more information has been released as the picture has become clearer. The Canadian Wood Pallet and Container Association believes this change will take place by January 2015 since the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has agreed to provide 12 to 18 months’ notice.
 
Canadian exporters need to be prepared if they use any of the following packaging materials to ship their goods south of the border:
  • Pallets
  • Box pallets
  • Pallet collars of wood
  • Crates
  • Other load boards
Overseas wood packaging material shipped to North-America is already subject to the pest eradicating standard, but so far the US and Canada have mutually agreed to an exception. It was believed that these invasive species had already crossed the land border naturally, or on any of the countless shipments sent before the new regulations were even considered. But the spread of damaging non-native insects has continued and authorities now conclude that untreated wood packaging is partially to blame.
 
HWP already offers heat treated pallets that meet ISPM-15 standards that protect our forests by killing all insects and larvae. These certified pallets allow your goods to be shipped anywhere in the world. From our North-American perspective it often seems that invasive species are found coming only from Asia and other continents, but this is of course incorrect! The red turpentine beetle for example has made its way from here to other places around the world where it is not welcome. Therefore the European Union, as well as many other countries, now requires treated pallets.
 
Using heat treated pallets is more than just a matter of personal responsibility to Mother Nature. The cost of non-compliance can be very high. We know that any or all of the following can occur if the pallets your products were shipped on do not have the internationally recognized IPPC mark and are attempting to enter Canada from countries other than the US:
  • Your shipments can and will be refused entry into the country
  • Disposal or treatment fees must be paid by the importer
  • Any costs associated with the inspection must be paid by the importer
Therefore we can assume similar implications when the US and Canadian agreement comes to an end. Contact HWP for more information on how you can prepare.
AMPCQ
CWPCA
Nature Packaging
ISPM15
National Wooden Pallet & Container Association
Herwood Inc. Palettes - Pallets 198, rue Principale nord, Windsor (Quebec) J1S 2E3
Tel: 1 800 884-4907 | Fax: 819 845-7582
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