COVID-19 Guidance on Safety of Packaging, Mail and Other Forest Products
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The American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA) issued the following statement regarding COVID-19:
We have heard member interest in the continuing need for scientific information and guidance from authorities on the safety of packaging, paper and other products from COVID-19 risks. This memorandum provides an update in response to these concerns.
I. Scientific Studies on Coronavirus Residency on Products
As you probably know, regarding the scientific studies on the residency of coronaviruses on product surfaces, the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement conducted a timely literature review and established a public website, “Coronavirus Information Relevant to the Forest Products Industry”: https://www.ncasi.org/coronavirus-information-relevant-to-the-forest-products-industry/. The NCASI website, which will continue to be updated, includes summaries of the scientific studies on the residency time of coronaviruses on cardboard, paper, wood, plastic, and other product surfaces, as well as related technical information on issues such as safe wastewater treatment plant management and workplace safety in light of COVID-19 risks.
II. Guidance on the Safety of Paper Products from COVID-19 Risks
In response to member interest, AF&PA has searched for guidance from key authorities on the safety of paper products in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Going forward, we plan to continue to share this information through our public COVID-19 Resources website.
Helpful guidance from leading authorities, such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Surgeon General, and the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), includes the following:
WHO: “Is it safe to receive a package from any area where COVID-19 has been reported?"
“Yes. The likelihood of an infected person contaminating commercial goods is low and the risk of catching the virus that causes COVID-19 from a package that has been moved, travelled, and exposed to different conditions and temperature is also low.”
The full WHO guidance is here: https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses
CDC, Frequently Asked Question: “Can the virus that causes COVID-19 be spread through food, including refrigerated or frozen food?”
“It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads."
“In general, because of poor survivability of these coronaviruses on surfaces, there is likely very low risk of spread from food products or packaging that are shipped over a period of days or weeks at ambient, refrigerated, or frozen temperatures.”
The full CDC Frequently Asked Questions guidance is here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html
CDC, Frequently Asked Question: “Am I at risk for COVID-19 from a package or products shipping from China?”
“In general, because of poor survivability of these coronaviruses on surfaces, there is likely very low risk of spread from products or packaging that are shipped over a period of days or weeks at ambient temperatures. Coronaviruses are generally thought to be spread most often by respiratory droplets. Currently there is no evidence to support transmission of COVID-19 associated with imported goods and there have not been any cases of COVID-19 in the United States associated with imported goods.”
The CDC Frequently Asked Questions guidance is here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html
CDC, Frequently Asked Question, “How long does the virus survive on surfaces?”
“It is not certain how long the virus that causes COVID-19 survives on surfaces, but it seems to behave like other coronaviruses. Studies suggest that coronaviruses (including preliminary information on the COVID-19 virus) may persist on surfaces for a few hours or up to several days. This may vary under different conditions (e.g. type of surface, temperature or humidity of the environment).”
The full CDC Frequently Asked Questions guidance is here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html
U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “Food Safety and the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19),” Questions and Answers: "Should I take additional measures during the COVID-19 pandemic to mitigate the risk of SARS-CoV-2 coming into my home on food and food packaging?"
“Currently, there is no evidence of food or food packaging being associated with transmission of COVID-19. It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads. CDC notes that in general, because of poor survivability of these coronaviruses on surfaces, there is likely very low risk of spread from food products or packaging that are shipped over a period of days or weeks at ambient, refrigerated, or frozen temperatures. It is more likely that a person will be exposed by person-to-person transmission involving close contact with someone who is ill or shedding the virus.”
The full FDA Questions and Answers guidance is here: https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-during-emergencies/food-safety-and-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19
U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Jerome Adams: “There is no evidence right now that coronavirus can spread through mail. No other coronavirus has been spread through mail.”, Interview by Fox News, March 5, 2020 (2:49 - 3:33 minutes): https://www.foxnews.com/media/can-coronavirus-spread-through-your-amazon-packages
U.S. Postal Service: “Importantly, the CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html), the World Health Organization (https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses), as well as the Surgeon General have indicated that there is currently no evidence that COVID-19 is being spread through the mail.
“Specifically, according to the World Health Organization, “the likelihood of an infected person contaminating commercial goods is low and the risk of catching the virus that causes COVID-19 from a package that has been moved, travelled, and been exposed to different conditions and temperature is also low.” And according to the CDC, “in general, because of poor survivability of these coronaviruses on surfaces, there is likely very low risk of spread from products or packaging that are shipped over a period of days or weeks at ambient temperatures. Coronaviruses are generally thought to be spread most often by respiratory droplets. Currently there is no evidence to support transmission of COVID-19 associated with imported goods and there have not been any cases of COVID-19 in the United States associated with imported goods.”
The full USPS statement is here: https://about.usps.com/newsroom/statements/usps-statement-on-coronavirus.htm
Finally, AF&PA has issued a statement on the safety of receiving packaging and mail, which you can access here: https://www.afandpa.org/media/news/2020/03/20/af-pa-highlights-u.s.-postal-service-response-to-questions-about-the-safety-of-receiving-packaging-and-mail
We intend to continue to monitor for further guidance on COVID-19 and the safety of paper products and to update our public COVID-19 Resources website as appropriate. If you are aware of additional guidance that might be helpful, please call it to our attention. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.
