Why Heat Treated Wood? Understanding ISPM Certification.

With wood being a highly efficient, affordable, and sustainable material for creating the pallets we use to ship the goods that fuel the world’s economy, regulations are a must for controlling the spread of insects and even certain pathogens. The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) created guidelines to govern how wood should be treated for international shipping. If you’ve shipped wood internationally, then you’re no doubt familiar with the acronym ISPM 15. It stands for International Standards for Phytosanitary Measure and it ensures that wood material that is used in international trade is treated for pests and pathogens and then stamped with a traceable mark.

CW Crates & Pallets is an ISPM certified company that specializes in export and import requirements. All of their wood products created for international shipping bear their stamp. Authentic stamps for crates and pallets will be framed in a rectangle border with a divider separating the IPPC wheat logo from the identifying information. The top line represents the country code, the second line identifies the wood treatment agent or packaging manufacturer, and the third line reflects the type of treatment. If customs cannot verify certification of wood being shipped internationally, goods may be subject to quarantine at the receiving port, fines, penalties, and the cost of repacking. Those who ship internationally can rely on CW Products to provide pallets, crates, and lumber that is ISPM 15 compliant.

Types of Treatment There are two types of treatment: heat treating and chemical treating. Heat Treatment (HT) Kiln dried wood is not the same as Heat Treated wood. Wood must reach a core temperature of 56 ℃ or 133 ℉ for 30 minutes in order to qualify for the ISPM 15 HT stamp. Methyl Bromid (MB) Wood can be fumigated with methyl bromide, but this is a less common option. NWPCA has been tasked by the U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to administer the fumigation program. All species of coniferous and non-coniferous wood must undergo one of these treatments to meet ISPM 15 requirements. Processed wood such as plywood does not. For more information on what types of wood require ISPM 15 certification, contact the friendly and knowledgeable staff at CW Crates & Pallets >