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INTERNATIONAL STANDARD FOR PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES ISPM No. 15

REGULATION OF WOOD PACKAGING MATERIAL IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE

International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs) are prepared by the Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention as part of the Poor Nations Food and Agriculture Organization's worldwide plant quarantine policy and technical assistance program. This program makes these standards, guidelines and recommendations available to both FAO members and other stakeholders in order to harmonize phytosanitary measures at the international level in order to facilitate trade and avoid unjustified measures that would constitute barriers to trade.

Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs) are adopted by IPPC contracting parties and non-contracting FAO members through the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures. ISPMs are standards, guidelines and recommendations that are recognized as the basis for phytosanitary measures applied by members of the World Trade Organization under the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures. Countries that are not contracting parties to the IPPC are encouraged to comply with these standards

This standard was first adopted at the fourth session of the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures in March 2002 under the title Guidelines for the Regulation of Wood Packaging Material in International Trade.

Amendments to Annex 1 were adopted at the first session of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures in April 2006. The first revision was adopted at the fourth session of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures in March-April 2009 as this standard, ISPM 15:2009. April 2013

This standard describes phytosanitary measures that reduce the risk of introduction and spread of quarantine pests carried in international trade in wood packaging material made from untreated wood. Wood packaging material covered by this standard includes dunnage but does not include wood packaging made from wood that has been processed to be free from pests (eg plywood). The phytosanitary measures described in this standard are not intended to provide permanent protection against contaminating pests or other organisms.

Pests associated with wood packaging material are known to negatively impact forest health and biodiversity. It is expected that the application of this standard will significantly reduce the spread of pests and, therefore, reduce their negative impact. Methyl bromide treatment is included in this standard in the absence of alternative treatments available only in certain situations or not in all countries, or in the absence of other suitable (non-wood) packaging materials. Methyl bromide is known to deplete the ozone layer. In this regard, the CPM Recommendation, Replace or reduce the use of methyl bromide as a phytosanitary measure, was adopted (CPM, 2008). The search for alternative measures that are more environmentally friendly is ongoing.

Wood packaging materials made from raw wood are a pathway for the introduction and spread of pests. Because the origin of wood packaging materials is often difficult to determine, measures taken worldwide to significantly reduce the risk of pest spread are described. NPPOs are encouraged to accept wood packaging material that has been subject to approved measures without additional requirements. Such wood packaging materials include dunnage but do not include recycled wood packaging materials.

Procedures for checking whether an approved measure has been applied, including the application of a globally recognized label, should be in place in both the exporting and importing countries. Other measures that are bilaterally agreed upon are also covered in this standard. If wood packaging materials do not meet the requirements of this standard, the NPPO may dispose of them by an approved method.

Definitions of phytosanitary terms used in ISPM 15can be read on page (Glossary of phytosanitary terms).

Approved phytosanitary measures that significantly reduce the risk of pest introduction and spread with wood packaging material include the use of debarked wood (with established tolerances for bark residue) andapplication of approved treatments (prescribed in annex 1).Use of identification marks (prescribed in annex 2)provides easy identification of wood packaging material subjected to approved treatments. Descriptions of approved treatments, labeling and its use are provided.

National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs) of exporting and importing countries have specific obligations. Treatment and labeling should always be the responsibility of the NPPO. NPPOs authorizing the use of the label should supervise (or, at a minimum, audit or review) the conduct of treatments, the use of the label, and the application of the label by the relevant producers or treaters, and should establish procedures for inspection or monitoring and auditing.

Special requirements apply to refurbished or remanufactured wood packaging material. The NPPOs of importing countries should consider approved phytosanitary measures to be the basis for allowing the importation of wood packaging material without additional phytosanitary import requirements for wood packaging material, and may check on import that it complies with the requirements of this standard. If the wood packaging material does not meet the requirements of this standard, then NPPOs are also responsible for the measures taken and. where applicable, for notification of non-compliance.

1. Basis of regulation
Wood obtained from living trees or dead wood can be infested with pests. Wood packaging material is often made from fresh wood that has not been processed or treated sufficiently to remove or kill pests and therefore remains a pathway for the introduction and spread of quarantine pests. Lumber has been shown to pose a particularly high risk for the introduction and spread of quarantine pests. Moreover, wood packaging material is very often reused, repaired or recycled (as described in section 4.3).

It can be difficult to determine the true origin of different parts of wood packaging material, making it difficult to establish their phytosanitary status. For wood packaging material, therefore, it is often not possible to carry out a routine pest risk analysis to determine the need for and extent of phytosanitary measures. For this reason, this standard describes internationally adopted measures that can be applied to wood packaging material by all countries to significantly reduce the risk of introduction and spread of most quarantine pests that may be associated with this material

2. Adjustable wood packaging material
This guidance applies to all forms of wood packaging material that may serve as a pathway for the spread of pests that pose a risk mainly to living trees. This includes wood packaging material such as crates, crates, packing boxes, lashing timber1, pallets, cable drums and spools/bobbins that can be found in almost any imported consignment, including those not normally subject to phytosanitary inspection.

2.1 Exceptions
The following materials pose a sufficiently low risk to be excluded from the scope of this standard2:
- wood packaging material made entirely of thin wood (not more than 6 mm thick);
- wooden packaging made entirely from recycled wood material, such as plywood, chipboard, oriented strand board or veneer, which has been produced using glue, heat and pressure, or a combination of these methods;
- barrels for wine and alcoholic beverages, which were heated during the manufacturing process;
- gift boxes for wine, cigars and other goods made from wood that has been recycled and/or manufactured in a manner that excludes the possibility of contamination by harmful organisms;
- sawdust, wood shavings and wood wool;
- wooden structural elements permanently attached to trucks and containers.

3. Phytosanitary measures for wood packaging material
This standard sets out the phytosanitary measures (including treatments) that have been approved for wood packaging material and provides for the approval of new or revised treatments.

3.1 Approved phytosanitary measures
The approved phytosanitary measures described in this standard consist of phytosanitary procedures including processing and labeling of wood packaging material. The use of the mark eliminates the need for a phytosanitary certificate, as it indicates the application of internationally recognized phytosanitary measures. All NPPOs should consider these phytosanitary measures to be the basis for allowing the importation of wood packaging material without specific additional requirements. Phytosanitary measures other than the approved measures described in this standard require technical justification.
The treatments described in Annex 1 are considered to be significantly effective against most live tree pests associated with wood packaging material used in international trade. These treatments are combined with the use of debarked wood in the manufacture of wooden containers, which also helps to reduce the likelihood of re-infestation by organisms harmful to living trees. These measures were approved based on consideration of:
- the spectrum of harmful organisms against which they are directed;
- processing efficiency;
- technical and/or commercial feasibility.

There are three main steps in the production of approved wood packaging material (including dunnage): processing, fabrication and labelling. These actions may be performed by different performers, or one performer may perform several or all of these actions. For ease of understanding, this International Standard is addressed to manufacturers (those who manufacture wood packaging material and can mark suitably treated wood packaging material) and treaters (those who carry out approved treatments and can mark suitably treated wood packaging material). material).

Wood packaging material subjected to these approved measures is identified by an official mark in accordance with Annex 2. This mark consists of a special symbol used in conjunction with codes identifying the specific country, the responsible manufacturer or organization that carried out the treatment, and the type of treatment performed. Further in the text, the totality of all components of such a designation is referred to as "marking". The internationally recognized language-free marking facilitates the recognition of processed wood packaging material when viewed prior to export, at points of entry and elsewhere.

NPPOs should consider this marking, as specified in Annex 2, to be the basis for allowing the entry of wood packaging material without additional specific requirements.
For the manufacture of wood packaging material, debarked wood must also be used that has also undergone one of the approved treatments specified in Appendix 1. Tolerances for bark residues are set out in Appendix 1.

3.2 Approval of new or revised treatments
As new technical information becomes available, existing treatments may be reviewed and modified and the CPM may approve new alternative treatments and/or treatment scheme(s) for wood packaging material. ISPM 28:2007 provides guidance on the process for approving IPPC treatments. If any new treatment or revised treatment plan for wood packaging material is approved and included, material already treated under the terms of the previously approved treatment and/or scheme will not need to be re-treated or re-labelled.

3.3 Alternative bilateral agreements
In addition to the measures listed in Annex 1, NPPOs may recognize other measures through bilateral agreements with their trading partners. In such cases, the marking given in Annex 2 shall not be used unless all the requirements of this standard are met.

4. Responsibility of the NPPO
In order to prevent the introduction and spread of pests, exporting and importing contracting parties and their NPPOs have certain obligations (as outlined in Articles I, IV and VII of the IPPC). The following are specific obligations in connection with the application of this standard.

4.1 Regulatory issues
The processing and application of the label (and/or associated systems) should always be within the purview of the NPPO. NPPOs authorizing the use of this mark are responsible for ensuring that all systems authorized and approved to comply with this standard meet all the necessary requirements set out in this standard, and that wood packaging material (or wood from which wood is intended to be made from packaging material) bearing the mark has been processed and/or manufactured in accordance with this standard. Responsibilities of the NPPO include:
- authorization, registration and accreditation, as appropriate;
— control of handling and labeling systems to verify compliance (for more information on related responsibilities, see ISPM 7:1997);
— inspection, establishment of verification procedures and, if necessary, audit (for more information, see ISPM 23:2005).
The NPPO should oversee (or at a minimum audit or review) the conduct of treatments and, where appropriate, authorize the use and labeling. Treatment must be carried out prior to the application of the marking in order to prevent the presence of the marking on poorly or improperly treated wood packaging material.

4.2 Application and use of the marking 
Specified markings to be applied to wood packaging material treated in accordance with this standard shall comply with the requirements set out in Annex 2.

4.3 Handling and labeling requirements for reused, refurbished or remanufactured wood packaging material
The NPPOs of countries where wood packaging material bearing the mark described in Annex 2 is refurbished or remanufactured are responsible for ensuring that the systems associated with the export of such wood packaging material fully comply with this standard and for monitoring that compliance.

4.3.1 Recycling wood packaging material
A unit of wood packaging material treated and marked in accordance with this standard that has not been repaired, altered or otherwise altered does not require re-treatment or marking for the life of that unit.

4.3.2 Repaired wood packaging material
Repaired wood packaging material is wood packaging material with up to one third of its elements removed and replaced. Where marked wood packaging material is to be repaired, NPPOs should ensure that only wood treated in accordance with this standard or wood products made from treated wood are used for this repair (see section 2.1). If treated wood is used for the repair, then each added element must be marked separately in accordance with this standard.

The presence of multiple markings on wood packaging material can create problems in determining the origin of this wood packaging material if pests are found in it. It is recommended that the NPPOs of countries where wood packaging material is repaired limit the number of different marks that may appear on a single piece of wood packaging material. Therefore, the NPPOs of countries where wood packaging material is repaired may require that previous markings be removed from the repaired wood packaging material, the unit reprocessed in accordance with Annex 1, and then marked in accordance with Annex 2. treatment uses methyl bromide, the information contained in the CPM Recommendation, Replace or reduce the use of methyl bromide as a phytosanitary measure (CPM, 2008) should be taken into account.

Where there is doubt that all elements of a piece of repaired wood packaging material have been processed in accordance with this standard, or where the origin of the piece of wood packaging material or its components is difficult to ascertain, the NPPOs of countries where the wood packaging material is repaired should require that the repaired wood packaging material be the wood packaging material has been reprocessed, destroyed or otherwise not allowed to move in international trade as wood packaging material conforming to this standard. In case of re-processing, all previously applied markings should be permanently destroyed (for example, by painting over or removing). After reprocessing, the marking shall be reapplied in accordance with this standard.

4.3.3 Converted wood packaging material
If more than one third of the elements of a wood packaging material unit are replaced, the unit is considered to be converted. During this process, the various elements (with further rework if necessary) can be combined and then reassembled into wood packaging material for future use. Recycled wood packaging material can therefore include both new and previously used items.
Any previously marked markings on remanufactured wood packaging material must be permanently destroyed (eg by painting over or removing). The remanufactured wood packaging material shall be re-treated and the marking shall then be re-marked in accordance with this standard.

4.4 Transit
If consignments in transit contain wood packaging material that does not comply with the requirements of this standard, the NPPOs of countries in transit may require measures to ensure that there is no unacceptable risk from that wood packaging material. For more detailed guidance on transit arrangements, see ISPM 25:2006.

4.5 Import procedures
Because wood packaging materials are present in most consignments, including those that are not normally subject to phytosanitary controls per se, it is important for the NPPO to collaborate with entities not normally associated with phytosanitary import compliance checks. For example, cooperation with customs and other relevant agencies and organizations will help the NPPO to obtain information on the availability of wood packaging material. This is important in order to ensure effective detection of cases where wood packaging material may not comply with the requirements of this standard.

4.6 Phytosanitary measures at point of entry for non-compliance
Relevant information regarding non-compliance and emergency action is contained in sections 5.1.6.1 to 5.1.6.3 of ISPM 20:2004 and ISPM 13:2001. Given the frequent reuse of wood packaging material, NPPOs should consider that a detected nonconformity may occur in the country of production, repair or conversion rather than in the exporting or transit country.

In the event that the wood packaging material does not carry the required label, or pest detection indicates that the treatment may not have been effective, the NPPO should respond accordingly and, if necessary, emergency action may be taken. Such action may be to hold the consignment while clarifying the situation, then, if necessary, to remove the nonconforming material, carry out processing3, destruction (or other secure disposal) or transfer. Additional examples of acceptable courses of action are provided in Appendix 1. For any emergency action taken, the principle of minimum impact must be followed and the consignment itself must be distinguished from the wood packaging material that accompanies the consignment. In addition, if urgent action is needed and methyl bromide is being used by the NPPO, then the relevant aspects of the CPM Recommendation, Replace or reduce the use of methyl bromide as a phytosanitary measure, should be followed (CPM, 2008).

In cases where live pests are found, the NPPO of the importing country should notify the exporting country or, if possible, the country of production, as appropriate. Where a piece of wood packaging material has more than one mark, the NPPO should attempt to determine the origin of nonconforming constituents prior to notification of nonconformity. Notifications to the NPPO are also encouraged in cases of missing labels and other cases of non-compliance. Taking into account the provisions of section 4.3.2, it should be noted that the presence of multiple markings on one unit of wood packaging material is not a non-compliance.