Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/1141207
26 PalletCentral • May-June 2019 palletcentral.com material have gone down by as much as 52 percent since the introduction of ISPM 15 in 2002. Work continues at the national, regional, and international levels to increase the overall effectiveness of ISPM 15. We believe the standard's impact will continue to grow as more countries implement its requirements and regulate compliance, as we do here in the United States. To help make that happen, we have been actively working through the North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO) to deliver training, share best practices, exchange technical information, and help other countries build their capacity to comply with ISPM 15. Additionally, we are working through the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and NAPPO on a systems approach for reducing pests associated with forest products. A systems approach is a series of actions that can be taken at key points across a production continuum or supply chain to prevent or mitigate pest risks. One issue that threatens to undermine the effectiveness of ISPM 15 is fraud. Unfortunately, there are people and businesses who occasionally choose to cut corners in order to save a dime or who willfully skirt the law in a misguided attempt to gain market advantage. PPQ has been cracking down on U.S. companies who use counterfeit marks on exported wood packing materials. For example, in recent years we prosecuted and convicted someone who had been applying the official ISPM 15 stamp to untreated wood packaging. This person was fined $25,000, required to pay more than $18,000 in restitution, served two years of probation, and underwent 6 months of electronic monitoring. In fact, over the last seven years, we have prosecuted 85 cases. Since 2015, we have levied nearly $300,000 in fines. We believe that additional outreach to industries that produce, use, and treat wood packaging material will help increase compliance with regulations and reduce fraud. Industry groups such as the NWPCA can be extremely helpful to the extent that they can assist with this outreach. What, if anything, can be done to decrease the invasive species from these industries? We are actively working to address the global spread of pests while facilitating safe trade. That includes leveraging industry best practices where possible, developing standards, providing training, developing and adapting new technologies, and monitoring the pathways to achieve the desired outcome. We have found that one of the most effective ways to make sure commodities and other products do not bring potentially Q & A ISPM 15 Works There is currently an international treaty and standard in place that works and protects against invasive species. It's called ISPM 15 and is a proven success story. It works to protect our forests and facilitates safe trade. Since its implementation in 2005 we have seen a dramatic improvement in mitigating the spread of pests associated with wood packaging. The invasive species many reference – Emerald Ash Borer (above) and Asian Longhorned Beetle – were introduced before the ISPM 15 program was launched. Over 180 countries have now adopted the regulation. USDA 2009 report showed a 99.89% compliance rate. Comprehensive inspections at the perimeter of North America protect against invasive species. ISPM 15 heat treatment protocol for wood packaging is effective, but it can't prevent "hitchhiking" invasive species. All too often they make their way thru waterways, under boats, under RVs etc. and pose a challenge for customs and border patrol inspectors. Learn more: palletcentral.com/ispm15works