Kiln Sterilization Certification

[YellowHammer]

What does it take to certify that a load of wood has been properly sterilized?  Is there a process or standard license that must be obtained?  How does an individual get such a certification?  What equipment has to be used to measure the temperatures?  Is each board stamped as certified sterilized?  I've not seen such a stamp on hardwood lumber, although I have seen it on dimensional lumber.  

How does all this work in the real world?  The hardwood lumber I've bought from other sources, even high end wholesalers, either by the pallet or individual boards, is not provided with a sterilization certification sheet or stamp.  How do I know their lumber is sterilized?  Then, when I resell that board, how does a customer know that wood is sterilized, besides me saying it was?  How do they know my wood is sterilized?



 

[Stephen1]

I have looked into it. I was told that  in Canada that I would have to go through the food administration. It is a process that I did not follow through with yet as I have been busy doing what I am doing.
I only use and keep skids that are stamped HT or that I have sterilized in my kiln. I try to restrict my inside of the shop to sterilized wood only.
I am going to follow along and see what others have to say.

[doc henderson]

good question, and I do not know the answer.  @GeneWengert-WoodDoc 

[Don P]

It is handled by the lumber grading agencies as another audited service in order to use the HT stamp. Go to Timber Products Inspections and click on the heat treatment tab, SPIB probably has a similar link depending on who is closer to you.

[K-Guy]

I have reached out to a contact I have with the USDA to see if they have an information sheet on the requirements. If I get anything I'll post a link here and I'll email you Robert. Martha can read it to you in place of your bedtime story.  :D

[bwstout]

I don't know all of the particular but, on my job we have to take 40 hr course provide to certify just to stamp the hardwood. It is use for skids. When the wood is brought in it has a stamp on it. then we cut it in to 12 to 16 inches long and each piece has to be stamp as we cut it. we have one guy who took the course and he stamps all of the wood. However this did not give you answer but just another requirement.

[YellowHammer]

Thanks,  Stan, I'm sure it will put me to sleep, but I'm old and need my sleep anyway and I "should" know the answers to these questions, but don't.  

I'm kind of getting lost in the regulations, similar to what happened when I got my DOT trucking stuff.  Some regulations apply, some don't, and all are expensive.  

Good link Don, I'll give them a call. 

What I've found is that there is a different requirement and approvals for stuff, and I'm not sure what applies or doesn't.  

Apparently there is a heat treatment certification for the lumber itself.  Is there an official difference between heat treatment and sterilization? Heat treatment is required for export, but I don't want to export.  

Apparently, there is also a required certification on the kiln itself, to prove the instrumentation and measurements are accurate.  @K-Guy , does Nyle do the certification on the kiln itself?  

There may be a different certification for DH kilns because they operate at lower temperatures.

There is a certification of the operator, or I can call in auditors, for specific loads, but since I work in relatively small quantities, that's maybe cost prohibitive.  Where does someone get the certification?  Is it annual? 

Are the places I buy wood from supposed to be giving me their certifications so when I resell their wood, I am protected?

If wood is sold domestically, is it required to be certified? Do these big outfits certify their wood unless it is sold for export?  

As always, I like reading and digging in, so any links and other info is appreciated.  

[K-Guy]

There's alot to answer there.

First, Nyle can't certify your kiln. The kiln must be certified after construction as the building matters also.

There a 2 different certifications KD(kiln dried) and HT(heat treated) but your stamp can be for both.

Kiln Dried has been dried and records kept that it meets the standard required.
Heat Treated must meet the ISPM-15 requirements for export and is an international standard.

The USDA has licensed third parties to do this and fees are part of it and regular inspection to make sure standards are being maintained.

More than that I will let you know when I hear back from the USDA.

ps. I didn't know there was going to be a test today!!  ;D

[boardmaker]

Robert,

Have you ever been questioned by a customer about your lumber being sterilized?  As far as I know from the customer standpoint, we've only been questioned a few times.  Typically it was involving an PPB infestation.  When investigated, it was always found that improper storage was to blame.  Namely, green lumber directly next to the dry lumber typically for long periods of time.  
I don't really deal with sales, but I generally hear about any concerns/issues.
I know that the NHLA has a certification program, but it's expensive and I'm not entirely sure what it's for.  I think it may be for exporting ash but don't quote me on that.


Export is an entirely different matter.

[Southside]

Sounds like what you are looking for is a phytosanitary certificate. USDA APHIS handles all of that. There are time at temp requirements, varies by thickness, calibration requirements for wet and dry bulbs, and record keeping.

It's not horrible, and mostly you are there from a hardware standpoint. Need a data logger and calibration tools is probably all. 

We were EU and mid east compliant when shipping shavings before '08, so if I pulled it off you definitely can. 

[GeneWengert-WoodDoc]

The best source for hardwood certification is the NHLA in Memphis, TN.

They have three different programs.  You will find their kiln certification program is close to what you may desire.

https://www.nhla.com/nhla-services/certifications/

[D6c]

I contacted the USDA about certificate for a kiln.  Time/temp recording was required.  I was surprised  the temp  requirement was only something like 120 deg for an hour.
If I understood it right, lumber for sale within your state doesn't require a stamp, but out of state does.  There may be different rules for hardwood/softwood.

[GeneWengert-WoodDoc]

It seems that your USDA contact was thinking about green lumber or pallets and dunnage, not kiln dried hardwood lumber.  Even so, 133 F in the lumber has been the critical number.  Did your contact reference a publication?  

As mentioned, the USDA uses third parties for certification, such as the NHLA.  A phone call to the NHLA will tell you if shipping out of state requires certification...not.

For softwood construction lumber, the stamp on the lumber for KD has specific requirements.  Hardwood lumber is not stamped unless it is being used for dunnage and pallets.  The stamp is then for heat treatment, which is needed for exporting out of the US, and not for state to state movement.

Incidentally, you cannot go to an office supply store or other location and buy a stamp that says sterilized.  The stamps are carefully controlled and persons using counterfeit stamps are taken to court successfully.  In this way, when you see a stamp mark, you know it is legitimate.

[YellowHammer]

So far, I have not once read where the lumber temperature is a direct measurement.  It all is based on a time dependent, heat transfer equation.  No physical probes in the wood, simply dry bulb temperature and time. Am I missing something?

[GeneWengert-WoodDoc]

The temperature measurement in the lumber was done maybe ten years ago.  As temperature is hard to measure accurately in a production situation, the alternate was to use  temperature and time.