Are Foreign Pests Hiding In Your Wooden Pallets?

Those who have been working in the transit packaging solutions trade for a number of years will know all about ensuring that the timber used in the packaging meets ISPM 15 standards.  But if you’re new to the industry or if you are thinking about importing and exporting goods internationally, you may want to read a little more about what the ISPM 15 standards involve and why they are so important.

Firstly, what does ISPM stand for?  It is the acronym for the International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures for Wood Packaging.  These are standards which are recognised all over the world and they prove that the timber used within the packaging has been treated effectively so as to reduce the risk of contaminated wood being transported.  Wood can harbour all sorts of pests and timber diseases, so it is vital that all wood is treated correctly so that it does not spread disease.

You may be wondering how the timber is treated and what the process involves.  It is actually very simple, the wood is heated up to a minimum core temperature of 56°C for at least 30 minutes.  This is sufficient enough to kill off any pesky pests or dangerous diseases and means that the timber is safe to be used for transport packaging. It has been said that up to 95% of all international deliveries will use a type of wooden transit packaging, which shows the potential for timber diseases and pests to spread if the wood has not been treated effectively.    

Once the wood has been treated and has become ISPM 15 compliant, it can be marked as below:

Image copyright of Nicklin

The image shows that the timber pallet or crate has been declared to be free from pests and diseases, and is safe to be used as a method of packaging for international use. 

Some transit packaging solutions providers are able to treat timber on their own premises, but others will need to purchase the timber from an external provider.  This can occasionally push the price of the timber up, but it is essential that only treated wood is used for international export. 

To find out more about the ISPM 15 standards or to contact a company which can treat timber on their own site, feel free to visit the Nicklin website.