Wood Packaging Materials (August 2005)
Commencing on September 16, 2005, all wood packaging material ("WPM") entering the United States from a foreign country must meet certain regulatory standards of the International Plant Protection Convention. The new regulatory standards will have a drastic effect on those Natural Stone Institute members which use WPM when importing natural stone products into the United States. In order to ensure that Natural Stone Institute members do not have a disruption in their supply chains from foreign countries, it is imperative that they become familiar with and adhere to the new regulatory standards.
The attached bulletin address the following questions:
- What agency will enforce the new regulatory standards?
- What is the intent of the new regulatory standards?
- What types of materials are encompassed by WPM?
- Are any WPM products exempt from the new regulatory standards?
- Are there any other physical attributes that the WPM must adhere to?
- What are the substantive elements of the new regulatory standards?
- What are the treatment requirements?
- What are the branding requirements?
- In what location does the branding logo have to appear on the WPM?
- What, if any, reference to compliance with the regulatory standards needs to be denoted in shipping documents?
- What, if any, contact needs to be made with the point of origin foreign country?
- Is an organization authorized to brand and treat the WPM itself?
- What penalties are associated with the failure to adhere to the new regulatory standards?
