Export
When you need ISPM 15 treated pallets and how to recognise them
If you export outside the European Union, your wooden pallets must carry the ISPM 15 treatment and stamp. We explain what it is, when it is required and how to read the mark.
If your goods leave the European Union on wooden pallets, sooner or later someone will ask you about ISPM 15. It is an international standard and, if your pallets do not comply, the shipment can be held at the destination customs. Here it is, without the jargon.
What ISPM 15 is
ISPM 15 (NIMF-15 in Spanish) is the international phytosanitary standard that regulates wood packaging in trade between countries. Its aim is to stop wood from carrying pests, such as insects or nematodes, from one country to another.
To comply, the wood is treated and marked. The most common treatment is heat treatment (HT): the wood is heated until its core reaches at least 56 °C for 30 continuous minutes. Fumigation with methyl bromide is not allowed in the European Union, so heat treatment is the norm here.
When you will be asked for it
- Exports outside the EU: the vast majority of countries require it for all solid wood packaging, pallets included.
- United Kingdom: since Brexit, shipments from Spain also need ISPM 15 pallets.
- Within the EU: it is generally not mandatory, although some customers ask for it in their purchasing terms. Check with them before loading.
Boards such as plywood, chipboard or OSB do not need the treatment, because they are already made with heat and pressure. The standard applies to solid wood.
How to recognise an ISPM 15 pallet
A treated pallet carries a stamp, usually branded or printed on the blocks, with several pieces of information:
- The IPPC symbol, an ear of wheat inside a box.
- The country code where it was treated (ES for Spain).
- The registration number of the authorised company that carried out the treatment.
- The treatment code: HT for heat treatment.
If a pallet does not carry the complete, legible mark, customs will consider it untreated, even if it has been treated.
What about used or repaired pallets?
A used pallet can be used for export if it keeps its ISPM 15 mark in good condition. If wooden parts are replaced during a repair, the new parts must also be treated for the pallet to remain compliant.
Pallets ready for export
At Repalsur we have heat-treated Euro pallets and we manufacture custom-made new pallets with ISPM 15 treatment for your shipments abroad. Tell us which country your goods are going to and what load they carry, and we will prepare a quote.
