As of March 1, China will conduct strict quarantine of wooden packing for exports in line with the international standards, said an official with the State Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine Thursday in Beijing.

The standards are based on the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), an international treaty to secure action to prevent the spread and introduction of pests of plants and plant products, said the official.

According to IPPC, the member countries could disinfect, destroy or return imported wooden packing that fail to meet the standards.

According to the official, wooden packing of exports will be required to be disinfected through heat treatment or other measures approved by IPPC before shipping. China will also label all the qualified wooden packing with special marks.

Besides China, the quarantine standards have also been adopted by a number of countries and regions, including the European Union, Canada, the United States and Australia.

The standards are applicable to natural wooden materials used in packing, excluding those less than 6 millimeters thick.

Source: Xinhua