Heat Treated Pallets for Export
When shipping internationally, all wood-packaging materials must be heat-treated. Perhaps you have heard of IPPC, ISPM-15, HT, and MB when preparing for an international shipment requiring pallets. All of these letters and numbers can be confusing, but they don’t have to be.
What is IPPC?
IPPC stands for the International Plant Protection Convention. The IPPC consists of nearly 180 members who all belong to the United Nations. Their purpose is to protect the world’s ecosystem by preventing the spread of disease and pests between countries. Because the IPPC is made up of UN members, this agency is a trusted source recognized throughout the global community.
What is ISPM-15?
The IPPC has established a safety regulation to help prevent the spread of pests, such as bugs, throughout the world. This regulation is called the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15, or ISPM-15 for short. ISPM-15 requires:
- All wood packaging shipped between countries be heat-treated
- All wood packaging must have a minimal amount of bark to prevent re-infestation.
Wooden pallets can either be heat-treated (HT) or fumigated with methyl bromide (MB) to assure they are free from pests. At each of our facilities, we have a heat-treating chamber to "cook" any pallets or crates that are shipping internationally. Fumigation with methyl-bromide has been found to harm the environment and can be toxic. Our preferred and only method of treatment is with our heat treat chambers.