PALLET PHYTOSANITARY PROJECT NEWLETTER 10

PALLET PHYTOSANITARY PROJECT NEWSLETTER

A Cooperative Effort of the

Limestone Bluffs Resource Conservation and Development Area

And

The Wood Education and Resource Center

Number 10 June 2004

The ICPM conducted its Sixth Session in Rome, Italy March 29 – April 2, 2004. A number of issues were addressed with regard to ISPM No. 15, “Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade”.

Korea and China submitted data on the efficacy of methyl bromide treatment against the pine wood nematode. ICPM agreed to refer the data to the International Forest Quarantine Research Group (IFQRG) for scientific review.

A number of companies had submitted proposals seeking approval of alternative treatments. All these were referred to the IFQRG.

A presentation was made to the Strategic Planning and Technical Assistance (SPTA) Working Group on a number of practical problems facing the industry with regard to implementing ISPM No. 15. These included: repaired wood packaging, wood packaging treated and marked, but before the new logo had been approved, costs of remarking wood packaging, the possibility of using the mark for treated sawn lumber, and the use of old wood packaging material which should not present a risk and should not need to be retreated and marked.

Many in attendance recognized the potentially significant costs to NPPO’s (National Plant Protection Organizations) of implementing ISPM No. 15 and that implementation difficulties should be carefully studied and, if appropriate, solutions to solve these difficulties be developed.

The SPTA acknowledged that it is important to identify implementation difficulties now arising in practice and move to resolve them. Further, SPTA recognizes that problems, in addition to the ones cited above, are probably occurring and should be identified and examined.

A process for identifying these issues has been implemented and is described in the next section of this newsletter.

The International Forestry Quarantine Research Group (IFQRG) has announced that an international workshop is being planned to address the range of issues surrounding the implementation of ISPM No. 15, “Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade”. This workshop will be held during February 2005 in Vancouver, Canada. Details of the workshop will be posted on the IFQRG website as they become available. The site can be accessed at: www.forestry-quarantine.org.

The IFQRG has also announced the formation of an international list-serve discussion forum to address questions arising from the international implementation of ISPM No. 15. The forum will be moderated by Roddie Burgess of the United Kingdom, chair of the IFQRG subcommittee on ISPM No. 15. The intent will be to seek consensus on the questions posed by forum participants, but will not hold any official status. All answers to questions will be posted on the IFQRG website (listed above). The results of this effort may be submitted to the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures, in line with the ICPM’s recognition of the full range of issues related to implementation of ISPM No. 15.

Any interested party can subscribe to the list-serve and be part of the moderated discussion by sending an email to:

To complete the subscription process, leave the subject area of the email blank and enter the following one-line in the message portion of the e-mail:

All those concerned about implementation issues with ISPM No. 15 are encouraged to subscribe and participate in the process.

The American Lumber Standards Committee, Inc., is (ALSC) authorized to accredit and monitor organizations engaged in the inspection of facilities producing heat-treated WPM in the United States. A total of 12 agencies are currently accredited by ALSC. The most recent addition to the list is Carolina Inspection Services, Inc. Their contact information is included below:

A complete listing of all 12 inspection agencies can be accessed at the ALSC website:

At the ALSC home page, select “WPM Program” and then read through the explanation to select the listing of inspection agencies.

During early May 2004 the IPPC (International Plant Protection Convention) Wood Packaging Mark was formally released to the various inspection agencies for immediate use by those treating WPM with methyl bromide.

The mark indicates that the WPM’ s country of origin is the US. The “000” is a unique number assigned by the NPPO (National Plant Pest Organization), which is USDA APHIS in the US, to a certified fumigator of WPM. This identifies the source of the WPM and that the producer is certified to treat and mark WPM.

The “MB” designation indicates that the WPM was treated with methyl bromide. “LOGO” is the identifying symbol, logo, or name of the inspecting agency accredited by the American Lumber Standard Committee (ALSC).

This important step finalizes the process for releasing the official trademark for use by the international community in marking all treated WPM. The official release of the heat treatment mark occurred in early March 2004.

A number of fumigation companies have been registered through the NWPCA (National Wooden Pallet and Container Association) Methyl Bromide Program. These companies have been qualified by one of the three inspection agencies to perform WPM fumigations. Contact information for these companies follows:

Additional information on registered fumigation companies can be obtained by contacting NWPCA at (703) 519-6104. As new fumigation companies are registered, the information will be posted on the NWPCA website at:

Once on the NWPCA site, information on the Methyl Bromide Fumigation Program can be accessed by selecting “Resource Center”, then selecting “Export Treatment Methods”, and finally, selecting “Fumigation”. A number of selections are available once the “Fumigation” section is accessed.

A major component of the Pallet Phytosanitary Project is the Competitive Grants Program. Proposals were solicited at the end of 2003 as part of the second Request-for-Proposals. The purpose of the Competitive Grants Program was to fund projects that were supportive of wood packaging and allied industries in dealing with the international phystosanitary regulations.

Three projects received funding, totaling $54,998, and included one applied research project and two technology-transfer projects.

The successful applied research project was entitled “Commercial Feasibility of Vacuum to Control Insects in Raw Wood Packaging Materials”, submitted by the Department of Forest Products, Virginia Tech, for $24,998. The principal investigator is Zhangjing Chen.

This project is the second phase of a commercialization project that is designed to develop a vacuum treatment that is an acceptable alternative treatment for WPM in international trade. Phase II consists of a commercial scale test of the concept in a laboratory environment using a flexible treatment container. The use of a flexible container allows for portability and is relatively inexpensive in comparison with commercially available systems that rely on rigid cylinders.

The final aspect of this Phase II project is to conduct an economic feasibility analysis to determine the economic potential of commercialization.

The National Wooden Pallet and Container Association received $15,000 to support a “Dissemination Program for Methyl Bromide Fumigation of Wood Packaging Materials”. The project director is Edgar Deomano.

The NWPCA has been authorized by APHIS to administer the Export Wood Packaging Material Fumigation Program in the US. The project funds will be used to disseminate information about the program to the wood packaging industry, fumigators, sawmillers, pest control companies, associations, wood packaging end-users, shippers, exporters. Information will be made available via the NWPCA website and database, publication and distribution of educational materials such as brochures, CD’s, and journal/magazine articles, and through the organization and participation in meetings, conferences, seminars and workshops.

The Center received $15,000 for their proposal, “A Regional Educational Program to Increase Awareness of Wood Packaging Phytosanitary Requirements for International Trade”. The Project Directors are Dr. Todd Shupe and Dr. Ramsay Smith.

The goal of this project is to develop and offer a regional distance-learning workshop focused on the phytosanitary issues related to wood packaging material. The agenda will be a comprehensive review of available information regarding the international guidelines, rules, and regulations, heat treatment processes, inspection protocols, equipment, and technical aspects, methyl bromide systems and inspection protocols, alternative treatments, and business perspectives.

PINEWOOD NEMATODE PUBLICATION

The USDA Forest Service, Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry has recently published a brochure entitled, “How to Identify and Manage Wilt Disease and Treat Wood Products Infested by the Pinewood Nematode”, NA-FR-01-01, authored by Michelle Cram and Jim Hanson. The brochure is full color and covers the History, Life Cycle and Biology, Taxonomy, Economic and Ecological Impact and Management of the Pinewood Nematode.

A limited number of hard copies are available through the Pallet Phytosanitary Project by contacting the Project Manager at (304) 282-5417 or via email at: curth@mail.wvnet.edu.

HEAT STERILIZATION PUBLICATION

The Pallet Phytosanitary Project published a Technical Paper authored by Joseph Denig and Brian Bond, entitled “Heat Sterilization of Hardwood Pallets and Pallet Material”. Copies of the publication are available by contacting the Project Manager at (304) 282-5417 or via email at curth@mail.wvnet.edu.

MISCELLANEOUS

Please feel free to distribute this newsletter via email or hard copy to all interested parties.

This issue of the newsletter and all subsequent issues will be posted on the following USDA Forest Service website:

Suggestions and items for upcoming newsletter issues are welcomed. Contact Curt Hassler, Project Manager, at (304) 282-5417 or via email at curth@mail.wvnet.edu.