ISPM-15 is the international phytosanitary standard for wood packaging in international trade.
Detailed Definition
ISPM 15, Regulation of Wood Packaging Material in International Trade, is adopted under the IPPC. It applies to wood packaging made of raw wood thicker than 6 mm, such as pallets, crates and dunnage. The wood must be debarked and treated by an approved method: heat treatment to at least 56 C core temperature for 30 continuous minutes, dielectric heating, or methyl bromide fumigation, which is restricted in many places. Compliant units carry the IPPC mark with country code, producer number and treatment code.
What is in and out of scope
ISPM 15 covers raw wood packaging used to carry goods across borders, including pallets, skids, crates, boxes, cable drums and dunnage. It exempts wood 6 mm thick or less and processed wood such as plywood, OSB, particleboard and veneer, among some other items. Plastic, metal and corrugated pallets are outside its scope, and so is a pallet made entirely of processed wood such as a molded presswood pallet. Mixed designs, such as plywood decks on solid wood blocks, still need the solid wood treated and the unit marked.
Practical compliance checks for exporters
- Buy from a supplier registered in the national program and confirm the mark is complete on two opposite sides.
- Check dunnage and blocking added at loading, since it is also wood packaging.
- Ask how repaired pallets were handled, because added wood must be treated and the unit marked under the repair rules.
- Keep supplier documentation in case the importer or carrier asks.
- Check destination rules, as enforcement and penalties vary by country.
- Keep marked export pallets separate from unmarked domestic stock in staging areas.
Authoritative Sources
- International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC): the United Nations body that maintains the ISPM-15 international wood packaging standard.
- FAO ISPM-15 Standard (ISPM-15): the international phytosanitary standard for wood packaging used in international trade, published by the FAO.
- USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS): the US federal authority that enforces ISPM-15 wood packaging compliance for imports and exports.
Related Glossary Terms
Frequently Asked Questions
Does ISPM 15 heat treatment make a pallet kiln dried?
Not necessarily. Heat treatment for ISPM 15 targets pests: the wood core must reach 56 C for at least 30 continuous minutes. Kiln drying targets moisture content and is controlled differently. A heat-treated pallet can still have high moisture content and can grow mold if stored wet. If you need dry wood, specify a moisture content limit or kiln-dried lumber separately from the ISPM 15 requirement.
How long does ISPM 15 treatment last?
The standard sets no expiry date for the mark. Treatment is meant to make the wood free of the regulated pests at the time it is done, but treated wood can be reinfested or damaged in storage, and a pallet repaired with untreated wood is no longer compliant unless handled under the repair rules. Store treated pallets so they stay clean and dry, and inspect them before export.