APHIS Announces Intention to Pursue National Wood Packaging Rule
By Chaille Brindley
Date Posted: 9/2/2009
The U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has announced that it is investigating how best to stop the spread of invasive wood species across state lines. The agency is holding public meetings around the country on wood packaging material used in domestic commerce and ways to mitigate pest concerns associated with the movement of both wood packaging and firewood. The spread of invasive species, particularly the emerald ash borer and the Asian longhorned beetle, have become a major concern for forest health.
APHIS stated, “These and other plant pests that could be transported interstate by wood packaging material pose a serious threat to U.S. agriculture and to natural, cultivated, and urban forests. We will also be holding a meeting in order to solicit public comments and ideas concerning potential strategies for mitigating the risk of artificial spread of plant pests via the movement of firewood.”
APHIS hopes these meetings will provide necessary feedback as the agency seeks ways to lessen the impact of interstate movement of solid wood packaging materials. This is the first step toward the development of a national treatment rule for interstate movement of wood packaging (WPM). The National Wooden Pallet & Container Association (NWPCA) has been lobbying for a national rule requiring all pallets to be treated according to ISPM-15, the international standard for wood packaging materials.
Given the billions of pallets in the U.S. supply chain, any treatment requirements could have a signficant impact in the interum. The NWPCA contends that the pallet industry is ready to handle the challenges presented by any domestic rule.
Paul Chaloux of APHIS said at the first hearing that the federal government is pursuing a national rule to reduce the confucsion associated with the "mosaic" of state and local restrictions that shippers must follow today. The domestic spread of wood pests has led local and state governments to impose various requirements, which has created competetive advantages for packaging suppliers in states neighboring quarantine areas.
There are many details yet to be worked out, such as a timetable for a new rule, the need for a phase-in period, compliance oversight, the environmental impacts and industry capacity concerns, etc.
APHIS is taking comments on a proposed rule for solid wood packaging materials. Consideration will be given to comments received on or before Oct. 26. You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
- Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2009-0016 to submit or view comments and to view supporting and related materials electronically.
- Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send two copies of your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2009-0016, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your comment refers to Docket No. APHIS-2009-0016.
