CORTEZ News Article



New WPM Regs effective on September 16th
		Published 20050822
		Mark.Schmittling@CORTEZteam.com

Starting September 16, 2005 any wood packaging material (WPM) that arrives in the U.S. must comply with specific treatment and marking requirements. This regulation does not allow for any exceptions and wood packaging material that does not meet these requirements must be exported. In other words, if the WPM is not treated according to the new regulations, it must return to the country of export at the importer's expense. WPM must be either heat treated or fumigated with methyl bromide. What is equally important: the WPM must be correctly marked to certify that the wood packaging material has been subjected to one of these approved treatments. This marking must be in a visible location on each article, with a legible and permanent mark. Paper certification of treatment is no longer required and will no longer be accepted as proof of treatment. This new regulation includes wooden packaging materials such as pallets, crates, boxes, and pieces of wood used to support or brace cargo. There are, however, exemptions for some WPM: Manufactured wood materials such as fiber board, plywood, whisky and wine barrels, and veneer Pieces of wood that are less than 6 mm (0.24 in) in all dimensions Sawdust, wood wool, and wood shavings, produced as a result of sawing or shaving wood into small, slender, and curved pieces less than 6 mm in all dimensions WPM used by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to package non-regulated articles, including commercial shipments pursuant to a DOD contract Firewood, mesquite wood for cooking, and small, noncommercial packages of unmanufactured wood for personal cooking or personal medicinal purposes coming directly from Mexican border states

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