Is the China Certificate of Heat Treatment still necessary?
The China Certificate of Heat Treatment (PPQ Form 553) was a certificate issued by an authorized certification official endorsing the statement of an exporter that the coniferous wood packaging materials (WPM) associated with a shipment for export had been heat treated in the United States by being subjected to a minimum core temperature of 56ºC for 30 minutes. Effective January 1, 2006, the PPQ Form 553 is neither required nor accepted by China. Therefore, PPQ and State/County cooperators are no longer endorsing this form. WPM for all commodities entering China should be treated and certified in accordance with the standards established in the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM 15).
