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USDA CONTAINERIZED REQUIREMENT

This is a reminder of the USDA-monitored procedures, regarding commodities (closed container and/or tarpaulin) treated by Methyl Bromide. The specifications for containerized commodities per the USDA APHIS PPQ Treatment Manual are as follows:

Ensure that the containers are not loaded beyond 80 percent of their capacity. Ensure that bulk commodities are placed in boxes or containers on pallets.  The pallets must be loaded in the container so that there is at least two inches of space under the commodity and between each pallet. There must be a minimum of 18 inches above the commodity to facilitate uniform gas distribution and allow a crawl space for placing the gas sampling tubes and fans. (Some restacking of cargo may be necessary to meet this requirement.)  If the container is tarped, no additional head space is required between the roof of the container and the tarp, unless the pest is found outside the container.

Any request of deviation from the above specifications will require a formal proposal submitted to the USDA APHIS PPQ for evaluation and assessment.