ISPM-15 is an international plant-health standard requiring wood packaging materials crossing international borders to be heat-treated or fumigated to kill wood-boring pests. The standard is recognized by ~180 countries. For domestic US-to-US moves, ISPM-15 doesn’t apply — but most operations don’t know which of their wood pallets are ISPM-15 marked and which aren’t.
The mark
A compliant pallet bears a logo (the IPPC wheat symbol), the country code, a unique facility number, and the treatment code (HT for heat-treated, MB for methyl bromide fumigated). The mark is branded into at least two opposite faces of the pallet.
What it costs
ISPM-15-treated wood pallets cost somewhat more than untreated ones; pricing varies by supplier, so get a quote. The treatment itself adds operational cost to the pallet supplier (the kiln operation), not the user.
When you need it
Any time the pallet (with its load) crosses an international border. The most common scenario in Northeast Ohio is Canadian shipments — a tote sold from Ohio to a customer in Ontario or Quebec needs ISPM-15-compliant pallets.
What to ask your supplier
If there’s any chance your totes will cross a border, ask the supplier for ISPM-15-marked wood pallets up front. The extra cost is minor and avoids swapping pallets later. Plastic and steel pallets are exempt from ISPM-15 (the standard applies to solid wood packaging only).
What to check at receipt
If you receive totes on wood pallets and you plan to ship across a border later, look for the IPPC mark before you load product. An unmarked wood pallet can’t be cleared at the border — the load gets repalleted at significant cost, or rejected.
Treated vs. heat-treated
Don’t confuse ISPM-15’s “HT” (heat-treated) with chemically-treated pallets (CCA, etc., which are no longer common in pallet wood). Chemical treatment doesn’t qualify for ISPM-15. Heat treatment to 56°C core for 30+ minutes does.
Questions on this one? Use the quote form to request a quote, and we can put you in touch with partner suppliers in Northeast Ohio.