Fumigation Certificate : Pay Attention to Wooden Products and Packings When Import From China
Jam is a new importer in Portland US.
Before that he never head of the fumigation certificate in shipping.
He made a purchasing of various cargo in Yiwu marketplace and get it packed by 3 wooden pallets through one of this suppliers.
Export Customs was cleared and shipping goes well.
Jam fully expected to receive the beautiful gifts for his family but was told shipment was held and rejected to entry.
What’s going on ?
The reason could be the wooden pallets are not fumigated.
It is a story, but similar situation often occured.
Today,
I’m going to introduce the cause : fumigation.
What is fumigation certificate ?
A fumigation certificate, is also called a pest control certificate, is a shipping document proves that the products have passed the quarantine and pre shipment fumigation procedures provided by an approved fumigation service provider.
Why fumigation needed ?
In order to protect resources of their own country , some imported goods are subject to compulsory quarantine system in international trade.
Fumigation is a compulsory measure to prevent harmful diseases and insect pests from harming forest resources in importing countries.
Therefore, the export goods containing wood products must be treated before shipping.
And fumigation is one of the necessary methods.
What kind of goods and packing require fumigation ?
Generally refers to the materials used for wooden products, packaging, bedding, supporting and reinforcing goods. Including：
• Wooden furniture
• Wooden cases
• Wooden crates
• Wooden pallets
• Warehouse timbers
• Wooden barrels
• Wooden mats
• Sleepers
• Wood linersw
• Wooden shafts
• Wooden tubs
The most important is all logs must be fumigated or heat treated and marked with IPPC
If the outer package of wooden products is not wood packaging,
It is unnecessary to mark IPPC, but fumigation and disinfection with medicine are required.
PS: Plywood and Man-made Boards are Not required for Fumigation.
Fumigation Process
How does it work for shipping fumigation in China ?
1.Inspection officer open the box for inspection. Checklist including :
• whether the container it is locked well.
• Whether the air vent is sealed,
• whether there are bark and wormhole in the wood package,
• temperature of the wood package,
• the number of pieces,
• shipping mark,
• product name
• container number.
2. Seal and inflate.
How long does fumigation take ? Normally, the fumigation time was 24 hours.
3. The container can not be moved after inflation.
4. Outgassing:
The office shall open the box to deflate after fumigation for 24 hours. Generally, the container can be closed, sealed and dragged into the port wharf after half a working day of outgassing.
5. Customs clearance:
The export Customs can be started after half a working day of deflation.
6. Get the certificate
After that, the fumigation service provider will issue the original fumigation certificate.
What's the method of fumigation ?
Medicinal : methyl bromide, ethylene oxide and heat treatment
How long does it take to get a fumigation certificate ?
Generally, you can get it within 3 working days after deflation.
How much does it cost for fumigation service ?
A original fumigation certificate is about USD 80-100 / Paper.
And it takes USD 200 / BL for LCL shipment, or USD 450-600 / Container additional for the FCL shipping service.
Which countries require fumigation certifate when importing ?
The wood packaging used in the shipping shall be treated before shipping,
The countries that require fumigation include:
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Brazil
• Chile
• the Philippines
• Japan
• South Korea
• New Zealand
• Australia
• Turkey
• EU countries
• South Africa
Despite Southeast Asia, the Middle East, India Pakistan and Africa countries do not require wood fumigation.
The wood products and packings going to these three areas can’t with bark.
Bottom Line :
For all export goods from China,
no matter what country they are to, if the goods are not packed with wood, please attach the certificate of no wood packing.
If the goods are packed with wood, the fumigation certificate must be attached.
What’s the addtional requirement of Fumigation ?
For the sake of safety, container door can’t be opened until 24 hours later after fumigation.
The wooden package shall not contain bark.
The IPPC requires that the packing wood itself must be brand new, free from bark and soil, humidity less than 20%, the surface shall not be moldy, black, and not too many wormholes, also the IPPC mark must be stamped in advance.
The cargo should be shipped within 21 days after fumigation.
In other words, the validity of a fumigation certificate is 21 days.
According to the international standard dosage of each container, it does not guarantee that the eggs of worms can be killed.
When the goods are packed, they should not be completely closed.
There must be some gaps, so that the fumigation medicine can enter the box and really play the role of fumigation.
CONCLUSION
That’s all you need to know about fumigation certificate and services.
To avoid the same problem in the story that told in the beginning,
The key point is to pay attention to the wooden products and wooden packings for your own next shipments.
Use free-fumigation pallets like plastic pallet, plywood and Man-made Boards or fumigated pallets.
No fumigation certificate and service required. This could be the cheapest way.
And don’t ship directly by supplier, use your own forwarder ( see the No.5 tip to find a good forwarder in China ).
If fact, this kind of trouble can be totally avoided when shipping is handled by forwarder.
If you plan to ship from China, now or in the future, please contact me, and I will provide you with a solution subsequently.
