US Government Enforcement Begins February 1, 2006 for Wooden Pallets and Crates

This is a reminder that on February 1, 2006, the US Department of Agriculture's Wood Packaging Material (WPM) regulations for pallets and crates will come into effect and be enforced by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspectors.

The regulations require that various wooden materials, including pallets and crates, to carry a "legible and permanent" mark that states that the wood has been treated either with heat or methyl bromide to kill insects that may be present.

The enforcement that begins February 1 applies to wooden pallets and crates only. Other wooden items will still be under the "informed compliance" phase of the regulations (inspectors will note violations and provide information on how to comply with the rules, but will not stop imports or require them to be re-exported).

However, pallets and crates that are not appropriately marked will be subject to expensive procedures required by the regulations, including possible re-export. Please be sure that all of your wooden pallets and crates coming into the US are marked in a way that meets the requirements. You can find a discussion of the regulations and an example of acceptable marks at the following link from the CBP website:

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/import/commercial_enforcement/wpm/

If you have questions, please contact your local CBP agricultural specialist or call the US Department of Agriculture's help line at +1-866-738-8197.