EPA Import Changes

It is more important than ever for a company to exercise reasonable care and ensure compliance with all Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) importing requirements.  Numerous new regulations have been put in place and enforcement of these new regulations has begun.

Formaldehyde Emission Standards

In December 2016, new formaldehyde emission standards affecting hardwood plywood, particleboard, and fiberboard were put in place to ensure only compliant materials are sold or further incorporated into finished goods. This will greatly affect the furniture and construction industries as well as any importer who imports any applicable wood items.

Recently, the EPA levied a $500,000 fine on a construction company for importing non-compliant composite woods. Any company that is not importing these goods correctly is at risk.

New EPA Flags

Additionally, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently updated their HTS flags to include 12 new HTS codes. All 12 codes are now flagged for EP5 (pesticide notice of arrival may be required) and 11 of the 12 are fluffed for EP7 (TSCA certification) may be required.

Reviewing Processes and Performance

As more items are flagged for EPA and as the standards and regulations become more stringent, it becomes increasingly important for importers to be proactively compliant. Importers should ensure that their parts are classified correctly, as the HTS classification is what results in flagging. Importers should also take the additional steps of auditing potential EPA (or other PGA) entries to ensure they are not being improperly disclaimed.

If you are importing EPA flagged items, or if you would like more information on this or any other trade-related matter, please contact Allyn International at sales@allynintl.com

Contributor: Matthew Dreckman 

---

About Allyn International

Allyn International is dedicated to providing high quality, customer centric services and solutions for the global marketplace. Allyn's core products include transportation management, logistics sourcing, freight forwarding, supply chain consulting, tax management and global trade compliance. Allyn clients range from small local businesses to Fortune 500 firms. Allyn conducts business in more than 20 languages and has extensive experience in both developed and emerging markets. Highly trained experts are positioned throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia. Allyn’s regional headquarters are strategically located in Fort Myers, Florida, U.S.A., Shanghai, P.R. China, Prague, Czech Republic, and Dubai, U.A.E. For more information, visit www.allynintl.com.