Wood packaging industry warns on ISPM 15 extension

Extending the international phytosanitary standard ISPM 15 to prevent the pinewood nematode forest pest spreading further across Europe “cannot” be implemented without significant economic and environmental implications, the European wood packaging industry has warned.

FEFPEB (the European Federation for the timber pallet and packaging industry) has made its views known in its formal response to the European Commission’s proposal to extend ISPM 15 to intra-EU movements of wood packaging material.

The proposal follows Portugal’s unsuccessful attempts to contain the pest and its discovery in wooden packing crates in Sweden.

FEFPEB said there was a lack of capacity to heat-treat all intra-community wood packaging flows, with “several years” needed before sufficient capacity was available.

It is also emphasising the need for scientific evidence to justify the economic and environmental “adverse” consequences of extending ISPM 15.

FEFPEB also wants any extension limited to newly manufactured wood packaging. It says the vast majority of wood packaging utilised is used or repaired, which it says has a smaller risk compared to newer material.

Sweden has imposed new inspection requirements on unmarked wooden packing crates from Portugal, after checks revealed that 10% of all crates inspected had pine nematodes.