Discharge of ship borne dunnage

Ship borne dunnage may be discharged in Canada provided that approved treatment, processing and disposal facilities exist. Until such time as a CFIA approved certification process is established, all discharged ship borne dunnage is considered non-compliant and must be treated in compliance with Appendix 3 of policy D-98-08 in one of the approved treatment methods described below.

At ports where approved treatment, processing and disposal facilities do not exist, the discharging of non-compliant ship borne dunnage will not be permitted. In these cases, ship borne dunnage must be secured on the marine vessel to prevent the escape of pests (e.g. under tarp, cover or within closed holds or containers).

Wood dunnage presents a high-risk pathway for the introduction and spread of invasive plant pests. All dunnage entering Canada must comply with policy D-98-08 which is based on the International Plant Protection Convention's International Standard on Phytosanitary Measures No. 15, Guidelines for regulating wood packaging material in international trade.

The port facility or parties responsible for the marine vessel offloading the dunnage must obtain a movement certificate (as specified in Appendix 5 of policy D-98-08). The treatment, disposal or processing facility must have completed an "Application for Participation in the Non-Compliant Ship Borne Dunnage Disposal or Processing Program" (as per Appendix 4 of policy D-98-08) and this application must have been approved by an inspector of the CFIA/CBSA prior to the non-compliant ship borne dunnage being granted entry to Canada.

Although compliant dunnage is permitted to enter Canada, the co-mingling of dunnage also poses a risk and as such, in situations where both non-compliant and compliant dunnage have been co-mingled, all the dunnage will be treated as non-compliant and must be treated and disposed of in an approved manner. Furthermore, there is currently no practical field processes in place to accept what may be compliant dunnage. Further discussion with industry is needed to develop acceptable processes for this verification (e.g., Industry certification of compliant dunnage).

Approved Treatment Methods

1. Fumigation with methyl bromide as specified in Appendix 1 of D-98-08. Fumigation with methyl bromide can be used at a port of entry as a treatment to mitigate the risk of pest escape prior to the transportation of dunnage to an approved Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) disposal facility. However, as Canada is signatory to the Montreal Protocol and is taking steps to reduce its overall use of methyl bromide, the use of alternative treatment or processing methods is strongly encouraged.
2. Chipping or grinding at an approved CFIA site to produce wood by-products such as wood chips, wood dust, wood mulch (where the mulch is not to be distributed into the environment as a soil additive), wood fuel, paper mulch, recycled fibre wood and oriented strand board. These wood by-products must not exceed 2.5 cm in any two out of three dimensions.
3. Heated to a minimum internal wood core temperature of 56°C for 30 minutes at an approved CFIA site. Kiln-drying, chemical pressure, impregnation or other treatments may be used as a means of achieving heat treatment provided that the above temperature and time requirements are met.
4. Incineration where permitted by local, e.g. municipal, legislation.

Once treated, the ship borne dunnage must be disposed of or processed in a manner compliant with Appendix 3 of policy D-98-08 at a location prescribed and approved by the CFIA/CBSA (e.g., approved landfill site, pulp and paper facility, etc.)

Should you wish to propose alternative treatment, processing or disposal methods or Industry certification process for verification of compliant dunnage for consideration, please submit your proposal in writing to: National Manager, Forestry Section, Plant Health Division, 59 Camelot Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0Y9 or at mdawson@inspection.gc.ca.

If you have any questions, please contact a Forestry Program Officer.

Originally issued March 17, 2009 (Information Letter To Industry)