ISPM 15 is not as complicated as you might think. It stands for the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures no.15 and simply refers to the required international standards of treatment that must be applied to solid wood used to ship products from country to country.

If a country has adopted ISPM 15 regulations, there is a set of criteria that must be met when shipping products internationally using any solid wood packaging, such as a box, crate, pallet etc.

Why was ISPM 15 introduced?

Numerous countries around the world became concerned about the global spread of diseases and pests through wood packaging, and shipping the wood pallets had become a high risk pathway for the introduction of exotic insect pests and plant pathogens.

For example, in America and Canada there is a microscopic pest called the Pinewood Nematode. If this gets into other continents, it can be very hazardous to their native trees.

The ISPM 15 was developed to prevent any further spread of these pests or diseases and to limit/reduce the chances of them harming native flora and fauna.

It’s not compulsory, but many of the leading countries involved in international trade have adopted it, including the. The countries currently requiring wood packing to be in line with ISPM 15 regulations are:

• Albania
• Argentina
• Australia
• Bolivia
• Brazil
• Canada
• Chile
• China
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Croatia
• Cuba
• Dominican Republic
• European Union (ISPM15 includes the EU, however, it does not apply for goods moving from one EU Member State to another; it applies for imports from outside the EU into the EU.)
• Ecuador
• Egypt
• Guyana
• Guatemala
• Honduras
• India
• Indonesia
• Iran
• Israel
• Japan
• Jordan
• Kenya
• Republic of Korea
• Lebanon
• Mexico
• Morocco
• New Zealand
• Nicaragua
• Nigeria
• Norway
• Oman
• Paraguay
• Peru
• Philippines
• Seychelles
• South Africa
• Sri Lanka
• Switzerland
• Syria
• Taiwan
• Tanzania
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• Ukraine
• Uruguay
• USA
• Venezuela

ISPM 15 ensures that solid wood is treated in a particular way, making it as safe as possible when travelling between different parts of the world.

What are the ISPM 15 regulations?

The terms of ISPM 15 regulations depends on whether you’re importing or exporting. If you are importing solid wood packaging from outside the European Union (EU), it must meet the ISPM 15 international standards. If you are exporting packaging outside of the EU, check if the country that you’re trading with accepts ISPM 15 standards and if they have any other requirements regarding the shipment and its contents.

The regulations require that all non-exempt wood packaging material, be it hardwood or softwood, must be heat treated to the core for 30 minutes at 56 degrees celsius, or be fumigated with Methyl Bromide.

Before it’s fumigated or heat treated, all wood used for wood packaging needs to also be debarked. This is to stop the wood becoming re-infested with pests while it is waiting to be made into packaging.

Once treated, a business that has been previously approved by an accredited inspection agency must apply the quality treatment mark, which is commonly applied as an ink stamp, stencil or brand made clearly visible on the surface of the wood packaging. When the wood has been treated and the quality mark has been applied, it is officially ISPM 15 compliant and it doesn’t require any further treatment.

There are certain types of wood that the ISPM 15 regulations don’t apply to as they are considered low risk. These are:

• Any processed woods
• Wood less than 6mm thick
• Cardboard
• Sawdust
• Wood wool
• Wood shavings
• Veneer peeler core.

What happens if my wood packaging is not ISPM 15 compliant?

If you do not follow the ISPM 15 regulations, your packaging might be:

• Fumigated (contents and all) and your shipper may be charged a premium rate.
• Rejected and destroyed
• Buried in landfill
• Rejected and returned back to origin at the original cost

ISPM 15 standards are to be taken seriously, so make sure that you, your packing service or your freight forwarder meets the requirements.

How can we help?

When you choose Global Pacific Services for your shipping needs, our experienced packing team will assess the requirements of each shipment, ensuring that your goods are suitably packed and protected.

If you’d like to know more, contact us today. We’ve been providing excellent services in worldwide logistics for 30+ years, proving ourselves to be a reputable and reliable freight forwarder.