Pest infested wood packaging material sent from Portugal via Spain and France has been intercepted by the Forestry Commission who is urging those working in the WPM industry and their customers to be vigilant.¹

“This once again highlights the fragility of the wood supply chain”, says Jim Hardisty, Managing Director of Goplasticpallets.com, since this comes just weeks after the UK Timber Packaging and Pallet Confederation (TIMCON) announced that Britain might not have enough wooden pallets that comply with ISPM15 heat treatment regulations, which come into effect on 1^st January 2021 for all goods moving between the UK and the EU.²A letter from the UK wood packaging material marking programme (UKWPMMP) that regulates the manufacture and repair of ISPM15 compliant WPM confirmed yesterday that the Forestry Commission was alerted by authorities in France of a consignment of textile goods on wood packaging, sent from Portugal and randomly sampled in Spain, that displayed authorised ISPM15 marks but was potentially infested with Pine Wood Nematode (PWN.)

The Forestry Commission sampled pallets from the Portuguese consignment following these reports and discovered live PWN infestation.

Businesses using wood packaging material originating from Portugal are being advised to undertake a close examination and to contact the Forestry Commission if they have any concerns about compliance with ISPM15. 

Jim continues: “This is not the first time infested wood packaging material has been intercepted in Europe and won’t be the last. The only way to ensure your consignment transits safely across the borders is to use plastic pallets which are completely exempt from ISPM15 regulations.”

Goplasticpallets.com stocks the widest range of plastic pallets in the UK, with 96% made exclusively from recycled material. For expert advice on choosing a plastic pallet, call the team on +44 (0)1323 744057 or email sales@goplasticpallets.com 

References

1. Letter from UKWPMMP 1^st September 2020
2. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-21/the-wrong-kind-of-pallets-threaten-border-trouble-after-brexit