§ 305.20 - Treatment requirements.

(a) Certified facility. The treatment facility must be certified by APHIS. Recertification is required annually, or as often as APHIS directs, depending upon treatments performed, commodities handled, and operations conducted at the facility. In order to be certified, a heat treatment facility must:

(1) Have equipment that is capable of adequately circulating air or water (as relevant to the treatment), changing the temperature, and maintaining the changed temperature sufficient to meet the treatment schedule parameters.

(2) Have equipment used to record, monitor, or sense temperature, maintained in proper working order.

(3) Keep treated and untreated fruits, vegetables, or articles separate so as to prevent reinfestation and spread of pests.

(b) Monitoring. Treatment must be monitored by an official authorized by APHIS to ensure proper administration of the treatment. An official authorized by APHIS approves, adjusts, or rejects the treatment.

(c) Compliance agreements. Facilities located in the United States must operate under a compliance agreement with APHIS. The compliance agreement must be signed by a representative of the heat treatment facilities located in the United States and APHIS. The compliance agreement must contain requirements for equipment, temperature, water quality, circulation, and other measures for performing heat treatments to ensure that treatments are administered properly. Compliance agreements must allow officials of APHIS to inspect the facility to monitor compliance with the regulations.

(d) Work plans. Facilities located outside the United States must operate in accordance with a work plan. The work plan must be signed by a representative of the heat treatment facilities located outside the United States the national plant protection organization of the country of origin (NPPO), and APHIS. The work plan must contain requirements for equipment, temperature, water quality, circulation, and other measures to ensure that heat treatments are administered properly. Work plans for facilities outside the United States must include trust fund agreement information regarding payment of the salaries and expenses of APHIS employees on site. Work plans must allow officials of the NPPO and APHIS to inspect the facility to monitor compliance with APHIS regulations.

(e) Treatment procedures. (1) Before each treatment can begin, an official authorized by APHIS must approve the loading of the commodity in the treatment container.

(2) Sensor equipment must be adequate to monitor the treatment, its type and placement must be approved by an official authorized by APHIS, and the equipment must be tested by an official authorized by APHIS prior to beginning the treatment. Sensor equipment must be locked before each treatment to prevent tampering.

(3) Fruits, vegetables, or articles of substantially different sizes must be treated separately; oversized fruit may be rejected by an official authorized by APHIS.

(4) The treatment period begins when the temperature specified by the treatment schedule has been reached. An official authorized by APHIS may abort the treatment if the facility requires an unreasonably long time to achieve the required temperature.