Packing Material

For the purposes of the Lacey Act declaration requirement, packaging material is defined as any material used to support, protect, or carry another item.  This includes, but is not limited to, items such as: wood crating, wood pallets, cardboard boxes, packing paper used as cushioning, etc.  Packaging material is exempt from the Lacey Act’s declaration requirement unless the packaging material itself is the item being imported or it is used for some other purpose than supporting, protecting or carrying another item.

Wood packaging material or WPM is also called Non-Manufactured Wood Packing (NMWP) or Solid Wood Packing Material (SWPM) defined as "hardwood and softwood packaging other than that comprised wholly of wood-based products such as plywood, particle board, oriented strand board, veneer, wood wool, etc., which has been created using glue, heat, and pressure or a combination thereof used in supporting, protecting or carrying a commodity (includes dunnage)."

Examples of WPM includes but not limited to pallets, skids, pallet collars, containers, cratings/crates, boxes, cases, bins, reels, drums, load boards, dunnage.  Wood packaging made of exempt materials but combined with solid wood components must still be treated and marked. (www.aphis.usda.gov)