requirement for all empty used or recycled wood pallets and wood packaging entering the U.S. These used pallets and wood packaging still require a formal disclaim process by the importer/broker. The Lacey Act does not impact U.S.A. wood pallet and wood packaging exports.
A declaration form will be required for empty new wood pallets and wood packaging (HTS 4415) entering the U.S.A. Importers must work with their foreign suppliers to obtain the necessary information (genus/species of wood products, country of harvest, etc.) and declare all the potential species and countries of origin if it is not known.
In addition to the USDA APHIS Lacey Act website link found at
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/import-information/sa_lacey_act, NWPCA has launched a website to provide background materials, Q&A, and other valuable information to U.S. importers of wood pallets and wood packaging found athttps://www.palletcentral.com/lacey. The webinar and the presenter’s slides are also available on the NWPCA Lacey Act resources page.
"You are only required to file a declaration for new wooden products in HTSUS 4415 that are formally entering the United States as merchandise. APHIS does not require U.S. importers to file a Lacey declaration for used, repaired, and recycled wooden products in HTSUS 4415, whether empty or under load, that are used to carry goods imported into the United States."
~Karen Williams, Lead Compliance Specialist for the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s Lacey Act Program.
OCTOBER 2021