AWPCS Certification

Ensuring that Australian treatment providers and wood packaging manufacturers produce wood packaging materials that meet the requirements of ISPM 15

The Australian Wood Packaging Certification Scheme – AWPCS is a certification scheme that ensures that Australian treatment providers and wood packaging manufacturers produce wood packaging material that meets the ISPM 15 standard for exports.

ISPM 15 is an International Standard and was developed to address the global spread of timber pests by regulating the movement of timber packing and dunnage in international trade. ISPM 15 describes phytosanitary measures to reduce the risk of introduction and/or spread of quarantine pests associated with solid timber packing material.

AWPCS applies to all organizations that export products or packaging containing coniferous (softwood) and non-coniferous (hardwood) raw wood packaging material.

To meet the requirements of ISPM 15, all wood packaging material shall undergo either heat treatment or fumigation with methyl bromide. To verify that treatment has occurred and to provide traceability to the country of origin, an internationally recognised ISPM 15 certification mark shall be applied to the treated wood packaging.

Under AWPCS, this ensures that treatment providers and wood packaging manufacturers meet the ISPM 15 requirements as authorised by the Deparment of Agriculture to an internationally recognised mark in wood packaging material produced for use in the export trade. The ISPM 15 certification mark can only be used in Australia by participants in the AWPCS who are recognised by the Department of Agriculture.