Wood Packaging Material and ISPM 15
- Published on: 19 September 2018
- Last updated on: 14 March 2025
- What ISPM 15 is
- What the requirements of ISPM15 are
- Third countries and ISPM 15
- ISPM 15 in Ireland
- ISPM 15 and the withdrawal of the UK from the EU
What ISPM 15 is
ISPM 15 “Regulation of Wood Packaging Material in International Trade” is a phytosanitary standard developed by the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC). It sets down standards for treatment and marking of Wood Packaging Material (WPM) which includes pallets, crates and dunnage used in the international trade of goods of all kinds.
Why it is required
The aim of ISPM 15 is, through the treatment of WPM, to reduce the risk of introduction and spread of pests and pathogens often associated with WPM which could be harmful to trees forests and ecosystems.
What the requirements of ISPM15 are
ISPM 15 requires WPM to be:
- manufactured from debarked wood
- either heat treated (HT), fumigated (MB/SF) or heat treated using dielectric heating (DH) and
- officially marked with the ISPM 15 stamp consisting of 3 codes (country code, producer code and the measure applied) and the IPPC symbol.
There are exemptions to ISPM 15 requirements which include:
- wood 6mm thick or less;
- WPM made entirely from processed wood produced using glue, heat and pressure e.g. plywood, oriented strand board and veneer.
- Barrels for wine and spirit that have been heat treated during manufacture
The ISPM15 Standard is available at here
Third countries and ISPM 15
Most third countries (non-EU countries) have adopted ISPM 15 as the required standard for WPM to enter their territories and so the majority of EU exports to third countries already require the WPM upon/in which the goods are being transported to be ISPM 15 compliant.
ISPM 15 does not generally apply to intra-EU trade (with certain specific exceptions).The UK has left the EU and at the end of the transition period will become a third country. Traders with the UK (importers and exporters) will need to ensure WPM is compliant with ISPM 15 from 1 January 2021.
ISPM 15 in Ireland
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is the designated National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) for the International Plant Protection Convention in Ireland and the treatment and manufacture of ISPM 15 compliant WPM is overseen on an administrative basis by the Department’s Forestry Inspectorate division.
The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) operates the ISPM 15 certification programme on behalf of the Department. NSAI carry out the registration of pallet and other WPM manufacturers, the auditing and approval of treatment facilities , ISPM 15 marking systems, and compliance standards.
