Timber packaging

Minimise quarantine risk when you import timber packaging into Australia

Importers can help to minimise quarantine risks associated with timber packaging and reduce delays in clearing goods by importing timber packaging free of pests and diseases, and that is treated accoutring to Australia’s import requirements. Attention to these details will assist clearance by quarantine and minimise the risk of exotic pests entering our country. A vital way of managing the risk of incursions of exotic pests and diseases is by identifying and eliminating the risk before the goods enter Australia.

What are the risks associated with timber packaging?

The quarantine risk of timber packaging and dunnage varies depending on the country of origin, species of tree, quality of the timber, treatments applied, and degree of finishing of the timber. The better the quality of timber, the less likely that the commodity will be infested with quarantine pests. The common types of risks associated with timber packaging are:

• Insects
• Pathogens (fungi, nematodes, viruses and bacteria, etc.)
• Bark which can provide a hiding place for insects and can trap moisture that helps fungal growth
• Soil that can harbour quarantine pests such as bacteria and snail eggs; and
• Other plant and animal materials such as leaves, insect/spider eggs

Examples of quarantine risk material on timber packaging:

Choosing the right timber packing
Good quality timber packaging has less chance of infestation or contamination compared with packaging made with lower quality timber. Choosing good quality timber packaging may also minimise the risk of infestation after treatment.

Have a close look at the timber packaging. Any timber with signs of insects (e.g. borer holes, frass), or diseases (e.g. fungi, stain) should be rejected and not used.

Keep your timber packaging dry
Timber products that have been properly dried and kept dry do not provide suitable living conditions for green wood insects and wood decay fungi.

Use ISPM 15 compliant packaging
If the timber carries an ISPM 15 (International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures Publication No 15: Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade) mark, verify that this mark meets all of the requirements:

• Carries an approved IPPC logo, ISO Country Code (‘XX’ followed by a unique number ‘000”), Treatment Provider ID
• Mark is not damaged, obscured or illegible
  Mark is permanently applied; and
• Timber is marked ‘HT’ or ‘MB’ (‘HT’ represents heat treatment, MB represents methyl bromide fumigation).

Use correct treatment dose and duration
Timber packaging not treated in accordance with ISPM 15 must have been treated offshore with one of the treatments below. Quarantine risks may not be addressed or infestation may occur after treatment if appropriate treatment dosage or temperature and duration has not been maintained. Treatment options for timber packaging and dunnage are below:

• Methyl Bromide fumigation- 48g/m³ for 24 hours at 21ºC at normal pressure
• Sulfuryl fluoride fumigation - 64g/m3 for 16 hours at 21ºC
• Kiln drying - Refer to ICON
• Heat treatment - 56°C for 30 minutes, from accredited treatment providers
• Gamma irradiation-10 kGray (1.0 Mrad)
• Permanent Preservative treatment (Please refer to website ‘Approved treatment for timber’)

For details about the treatments of timber packaging and dunnage, please refer to Import Conditions (ICON).

Use bark free timber for packaging
AQIS has a bark freedom policy (subject to specific tolerances) for all timber packaging and dunnage. Where bark is found on timber packaging and dunnage, the timber packaging will require treatment, or be exported or destroyed, or have the bark removed all at importer’s expense.

Use plastic packaging instead of wood
Plastic packaging has minimal or no quarantine risk compared with timber packaging. Consider using plastic packaging to minimise quarantine risk and to minimise delays at the border caused by infested packaging.

Precautions you can take after your timber is treated

• Cover the timber
• Store in a clean storage area
• Keep timber segregated from other commodity to avoid re-infestation
• Avoid damp weather conditions inside the storage area.

For more information about importing wooden items:

View: Import Conditions (ICON) for specific timber information

Email: Timber Imports

Web: Timber

Contact the AQIS Timber and Timber Products National Co-ordination Centre: Phone +61 03 8318 6929 (9 am – 4 pm weekdays)