One untreated wooden pallet can get an entire shipment rejected and returned. Wood packaging treatment and marking is the most easily overlooked and most costly oversight in the export process.
What Is ISPM 15
ISPM 15 is the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15, formally titled "Regulation of Wood Packaging Material in International Trade."
It targets solid wood packaging, with the goal of preventing pests from spreading across borders via wood packaging.
Most countries and regions have mandatory requirements for incoming solid wood packaging, and non-compliant shipments may be denied entry.
Which Wood Packaging Requires Treatment
| Covered | Not Covered |
|---|---|
| Wooden pallets, wooden crates, wooden racks, dunnage, wooden wedges | Plywood, particleboard, fiberboard and other engineered wood |
| Solid wood packaging, solid wood reinforcement materials | Deeply processed wood products, cartons |
The criterion is "solid wood": engineered wood and deeply processed timber are generally excluded, while solid wood must be treated.
Two Treatment Methods
Heat Treatment (HT): heating the wood core to a specified temperature and holding it for a specified time — the more commonly used method.
Methyl Bromide fumigation (MB): treatment with methyl bromide and similar agents; some countries impose additional restrictions, subject to the destination country's regulations.
Both methods must be carried out by a qualified treatment provider, which issues a treatment certificate.
How the IPPC Mark Is Applied
Properly treated wood packaging must bear the IPPC mark, typically including the symbol, country code, treatment provider code and treatment method code.
The mark must be clear and durable, applied in a prominent position on the packaging.
Packaging with no mark or an unclear mark is treated as untreated.
Common Reasons for Return
Reason one: the wood packaging was not treated at all and bears no mark.
Reason two: a mark exists but cannot be verified, or is blurred or incomplete.
Reason three: the treatment method does not match the mark code, or the treatment certificate is missing.
Reason four: untreated solid wood materials were mixed in — for example, dunnage or reinforcement strips that were missed.
Reason five: a refurbished old wooden crate is reused with its old mark, without actually being re-treated.
How to Check Before Shipping
First, check the materials: identify which parts are solid wood and bring them all into the treatment scope.
Second, check the marks: every piece of solid wood packaging must bear a clear IPPC mark.
Third, check the certificates: keep the treatment provider's certificate on file for inspection.
Fourth, check the details: dunnage, wooden wedges and reinforcement strips — these "small pieces" are the easiest to miss. Confirm them one by one.
