Last Updated on April 14, 2022 by Ithos Global Regulatory Team
Thanks to their pleasant aromas and therapeutic benefits, essential oils are popular ingredients in the booming market for natural beauty and household cleaning products. As such, the demand for essential oils from around the globe is huge and growing everyday.
Though interest in natural products may seem like a recent consumer trend, import and export regulations for the trade of natural resources is nothing new.
Since 1900, the Lacey Act has protected wildlife resources from illegal trafficking. It was initially introduced in the US to protect game and wild birds from illegal poaching in one state for sale in another, but its scope has since expanded. It was amended in 1981 and again by the Farm Bill of 2008, which broadened protections for plants and plant products. Enforcement of the new requirements began in April 2009, with additional requirements phased in over the years since.
Last month, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced that enforcement of phase VI will begin later this year and will include protections for the following:
- essential oils of cedarwood
- essential oils of linaloe, or bois de rose
- essential oils of sandalwood
- essential oils of “other”
Beginning October 1, 2020, importers of these essential oils must declare whether they were made with plant materials harvested in accordance with U.S. and non-U.S. law.
Failure to comply with the new regulation may result in costly fines and shipping delays.
Do you have questions about keeping compliant with the Lacey Act? Ithos Global’s Lacey Act Compliance Tool within the Ithos Information Network (IIN) includes a risk assessment workflow for plants, vendors, and purchase orders, plus storage for documentation.
