ISPM15 Compliance for Timber Pallets, Timber Cases and Timber Crates Used for Exports

Q: What are ISPM 15 standards? A: ISPM 15 (International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures for Wood Packaging) are the globally recognised standards for the treatment of all packaging materials made from solid wood. Q: Why are ISPM 15 standards important? A: Timber pallets, timber packing cases and timber crates play a vital role in international trade. Around 95% of all deliveries used in global distribution are made using a form of timber transit packaging. However, the international timber trade creates the potential risk of transferring foreign pests or wood and forest diseases from one country to another via unprocessed raw wood. This could potentially have devastating effects on the native timber species and their ecosystems. ISPM 15 acts as a passport for timber pallets, cases and crates, allowing traceability and verification that the timber is free from infestation. Q: How are timber pallets, timber cases and timber crates treated to become ISPM15 compliant? A: A heat treatment process that requires wood packaging to be heated to a minimum core temperature of 56 deg C for a minimum period of 30 minutes.