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Wood Declaration Forms. Why Declaring Wood Packaging is Important.

May 21, 2020 Author: Erin Harris, Director of Customer Experience

Global Wizard offers many documents within the document library our customers need when completing the paperwork for their exports.

Within this library are documents that customers use often, sometimes, or never, but they are there and ready for when that need presents itself.

Reviewing this export documentation library myself, I noticed two documents that stood out.

1. China No Solid Wood
2. China Non-Coniferous Wood

The China No Solid Wood document simply declares that the shipment materials used in packaging (crates, in particular) do not contain solid wood. Straightforward enough.

The China Non-Coniferous Wood document declares that the packing materials used for the shipment contain non-coniferous wood. Using this form, the declaration of wood must be declared, or China customs will not accept the commodity for inspection.

What is Solid Wood?

Solid wood is wood that has been cut from a tree with no fillers or adhesives used in the milling process of the final product produced from solid wood. Solid wood is often used for furniture, construction, cabinetry, and flooring.

What is Non-Coniferous Wood?

Non-coniferous woods are described in three categories.

1. Hardwood such as oak and beech
2. Softwood such as birch and poplar
3. Finewood walnut, cherry, apple, olive, and other fruit trees

Non-coniferous wood bearing trees are found in mild climates and typically lose their leaves in the fall and regain them in the spring/summer.

Pine trees, trees that don’t lose their leaves/needles with the changes of season, are considered coniferous, sometimes called conifers.

Why is the Declaration of Solid and Non-Coniferous Wood Exporting to China Important?

The declarations of solid and non-coniferous wood are primarily to address an environmental protection concern.

Solid wood might be milled and processed, but is processed less than particle board, fiberboards, veneers, or plywood, which have been extensively processed and engineered.

Without the extensive processing, there is a risk that solid wood may contain certain bug species and larva or molds and mildews that are not treated that pose an environmental risk once they reach their destination.

If these bugs, molds, and mildews are not native to a specific area, they may overwhelm that environment and cause outbreaks that can damage and destroy local ecosystems. Once an invasive species has entered an unprepared ecosystem, it can be difficult to manage the situation without devastating results.

As an example, the Eastern Coast of the United States has been experiencing an outbreak of the Emerald Ash Borer that destroys ash trees (non-coniferous wood). As this outbreak progresses, the Emerald Ash Borer is slowly migrating west.

It’s believed that the Emerald Ash Borer, a species of beetle, originated from Asia and arrived in the USA around 2002 from untreated solid wood packing material carried in cargo ships or airplanes. Since its discovery, the beetle species has killed millions of ash trees; the USDA has enforced quarantine measures of ash wood, and the introduction of these beetles has cost municipalities, property owners, nursery operators, and forest products industries hundreds of millions of dollars to treat.

Read more about the Emerald Ash Borer

What if Your Shipment Uses Solid and Non-Coniferous Wood?

Depending on the shipment, it may be impossible to avoid the use of solid and non-coniferous wood as they might provide the best protection for the products and goods being shipped.

There is a way to declare and follow export compliance policies by providing one of the following documents, or China customs will not accept the commodity for inspection:

1. Fumigation Certificate
2. Certification of Heat Treatment
3. Declaration of Non-coniferous Wood Packing Materials

Do you often export to China using solid wood or Non-coniferous wood? Global Wizard Exports has your export compliance documentation ready! Contact us for a demo or sign up today to get started with our Silver Tier.