USDA seeks international wood-packaging treatment rules

USDA seeks international wood-packaging treatment rules    The U.S. Department of Agriculture proposes to amend its regulations in line with recently developed international guidelines for the treatment against pests in wood-packaging materials.
   The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s International Plant Protection Convention Secretariat spent the past several years developing a universal wood-packaging standard for pest control purposes. The IPPC approved the guidelines on March 15, 2002.
   “We propose to adopt the IPPC guidelines because they represent the current international standard determined to be necessary and effective for controlling pests in wood packaging material used in global trade, and because current United States requirements for wood packaging material are not fully effective, as shown by analyses of pest interceptions at ports that show an increase in pests associated with wood packaging material,” the USDA said.
   Some of these pests found in untreated wood packaging are the Asian longhorned beetle, pinewood nematode and emerald ash borer, which, left unchecked, could result in billions of dollars in lost forests.
   The IPPC guidelines call wood-packaging materials to be treated with heat or methyl bromide fumigation, and inscribed with an approved international mark certifying treatment.
   Wood-packaging in international shipping ranges from crates and dunnage to spools, pallets and packing blocks.
   The USDA’s proposed rules for wood-packaging are available online at: https://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2003/03-12503.htm.
   The agency said it would accept comments from the industry regarding the proposed rulemaking through July 21. The USDA also plans to hold a series of public hearings June 23 in Seattle; June 23 in Long Beach, Calif.; and June 27 in Washington.