How can general freight pose a quarantine risk?
Inorganic items can pose a quarantine risk if they are packed or contaminated with Quarantine Risk Materials. For example, fragile items may be packed in straw, and machinery may contain seed, soil and plant material if The ornaments imported in crates are not a quarantine risk, but the straw packing material could accidentally introduce weed seeds and a number of plant diseases. Western Australia is free from many animal and plant pests diseases and weeds found in other parts of Australia. To prevent these unwanted organisms becoming established in the state, propagatable plants and plant material must be recognised as permitted on the Permitted and Quarantine Species list to be allowed entry. Quarantine Risk Materials Import requirements are placed on items recognised as ‘Quarantine Risk Materials’ or ‘QRM’. Under the Plant Diseases Act 1914 and Plant Diseases Regulations 1989,”QRM’ are items that have the potential to carry exotic weeds, pests and diseases in to Western Australia. I
