Import Conditions

Case: Coir peat Effective 20 Jul 2019 to 02 Aug 2019

1. A Department of Agriculture import permit is not required, providing that the following conditions are met.

2. Each consignment must be clean, free from soil, contaminant plant material, animal material and be subjected to microbiological testing.
   

   To demonstrate compliance with this requirement you must present the following on a Phytosanitary certificate:

   The declaration "Based on inspection of representative samples, the coir peat is clean, free from soil, contaminant plant material and other extraneous material".
   

   If the phytosanitary certificate is issued after dispatch the date of inspection must be identified as an additional declaration.
   

   AND

   You must present the following on a Certificate of inspection (Government Inspection Agency) or Phytosanitary certificate:

   The additional declaration "No visible contamination with animal material".
   

   AND

   You must present the following on a Certificate of analysis (Department Approved Lab):

   The microbiological analysis:
   

   Salmonella - absent in 25 grams.
   

   E. coli - five samples must be tested and the result of each sample must be listed.
   

   The following is considered to be acceptable results:
   

   1. Three samples must contain less than 100 bacteria per gram.
      

   2. Two samples can contain between 100 and 1000 bacteria per gram.
      

   3. No sample can contain more than 1000 bacteria per gram.
      

3. The goods must be clean and free of contaminant seed, soil, animal and plant debris and other biosecurity risk material prior to arrival in Australian territory.

4. Any packaging used with the consignment must be clean and new.

5. On arrival in Australian territory, the goods must be inspected to verify that they are free of live insects, plant or animal debris, soil and other biosecurity risk material.

6. Correctly certified full container load consignments will be inspected using a tailgate inspection. The importer or a representative is to provide samples to the biosecurity officer during inspection to facilitate the inspection. If samples cannot be provided the consignment will be directed to an approved arrangement site for a partial unpack and inspection. The biosecurity officer may order a full unpack dependent on the cleanliness of the shipment.

   If the consignment is not accompanied by an acceptable certificate of analysis the consignment will be sampled for testing. The importer or a representative is to provide samples to the biosecurity officer during a tailgate inspection. Testing will be carried out at the importer's expense. Consignments will be held at an approved arrangement site pending the test results.

7. If the consignment is not accompanied by an acceptable certificate of analysis from a Department approved laboratory the consignment will be secured at an approved arrangement site at the importers expense whilst microbiological analysis is undertaken (testing is to be conducted by the National Measurement Institute (NMI)).

8. If live insects are found during inspection, the consignment will be:

   1. held pending identification by a Department of Agriculture entomologist and treated using an appropriate method, or
      

   2. exported, or
      

   3. disposed of.
      

   If other contaminants such as soil, weed seeds, sticks, or faecal matter are found on inspection, the consignment must be held, and the contaminants must be removed or treated via a method approved by the department, if possible. Alternatively, the goods must be exported or disposed of.

9. Under the Biosecurity Charges Imposition (General) Regulation 2016 and Chapter 9, Part 2 of the Biosecurity Regulation 2016, fees are payable to the Department of Agriculture for all services. Detail on how the department applies fees and levies may be found in the charging guidelines.

10. In addition to the conditions for the goods being imported, non-commodity concerns must be assessed including container cleanliness, packaging and destination concerns, and may be subject to inspection and treatment on arrival. Please refer to the Non-Commodity Cargo Clearance BICON case for further information.