Wood pallets, crates and dunnage are often treated as mere packing materials, yet they can cause a shipment to be held, treated again, removed or re-exported when the destination country’s phytosanitary requirements are not met. A common misunderstanding is to use “fumigation” as a blanket term for every treatment, although ISPM 15 recognizes several approved methods and the obligation does not depend solely on the type of cargo. This guide explains when treatment is required, what is normally excluded, how to read the IPPC mark and which data must be locked before packing.

QUICK FACTS

Not every wooden package requires fumigation

When the importing country requires ISPM 15, regulated raw-wood packaging must be made from debarked wood within the permitted tolerance, treated and validly marked.

Fumigation is not the only accepted treatment

ISPM 15 treatment codes include HT, DH, MB and SF, subject to authorization and technical conditions.

The IPPC mark is the key identifier

It contains the IPPC symbol, country code, producer/treatment-provider code and treatment code.

Check destination rules and transit controls where relevant

The importing country sets the applicable import requirement; a transit country may also act where non-compliant WPM presents an unacceptable risk.

Illustration for Fumigation of Wood Packaging for Export: When Is Treatment Mandatory? — Illustration of the logistics topic, document or operation discussed in the article.

SCOPE

This article applies to exported shipments using wooden pallets, crates, cases, boxes, cable drums, skids and dunnage made from natural or raw wood. It focuses on ISPM 15 requirements for wood packaging material accompanying goods in international trade.

It does not replace destination-country rules, permits for the main commodity, CITES obligations, legality-of-timber documents, phytosanitary requirements for the wood product itself or buyer-specific treatment clauses.

KEY TERMS

Term	Meaning	Operational role
Wood Packaging Material – WPM	Wood or wood products used to support, protect or carry a commodity, including dunnage.	Determines whether the packing material falls within ISPM 15.
ISPM 15	International standard managing pest risks associated with raw-wood packaging in international trade.	Provides the harmonized framework for treatment and marking.
NPPO	National Plant Protection Organization.	Authorizes and supervises treatment providers and use of the mark.
IPPC mark	Mark containing the IPPC symbol, country code, provider code and treatment code.	Allows import inspectors to identify compliant WPM.
HT / DH / MB / SF	Heat treatment, dielectric heating, methyl bromide and sulphuryl fluoride.	The code must match the treatment actually applied.
Dunnage	Wood used to secure or support cargo but not necessarily retained with the commodity.	Frequently overlooked although raw-wood dunnage is covered.

HOW THE REQUIREMENT WORKS

The trigger is not whether the main cargo is food, machinery or consumer goods. The correct questions are: Is the packaging made from regulated raw wood, and has the importing country made ISPM 15 part of its import requirements? Transit must be assessed separately according to the routing and the transit country’s rules.

Where applicable, WPM must be made from wood debarked within the permitted tolerance, treated by an approved method and marked within a system authorized and supervised by the relevant NPPO. Importing countries may still inspect the mark, wood condition, residual bark, pest evidence and provider-code validity.

Terminology and document note: HT and DH are not chemical fumigation; MB and SF are fumigation methods. Under ISPM 15, a valid mark replaces the phytosanitary certificate for the WPM itself. A treatment certificate is only an additional document where a contract, carrier or national rule requires it.

WHEN IS TREATMENT MANDATORY?

Scenario	Likelihood	What to verify	Operational conclusion
Natural-wood pallet or crate shipped to a market requiring ISPM 15	High	Material, thickness, destination, IPPC mark and provider code.	Use compliant treated and marked WPM before entering the transport chain.
Machinery on a wooden skid or with wooden blocking	High	Check skid, runners, blocks and dunnage, not only the main pallet.	All regulated raw-wood components must comply.
Non-plant cargo packed on wooden pallets	High	ISPM 15 regulates the packaging, not the commodity category.	Electronics, metal or chemicals are not exempt merely because they are non-plant goods.
Plywood, OSB or particle-board packaging	Usually excluded	Confirm that no untreated natural-wood components are mixed in.	Deeply processed wood material is generally outside the standard.
Wood 6 mm thick or less	Usually excluded	Measure the actual component and check national rules.	May be outside the standard, but destination-country verification remains necessary.
Domestic movement only	Normally not triggered	Contract requirements and any later export plan.	ISPM 15 is not triggered solely by domestic transport.
Reused wooden packaging	Conditional	Mark legibility, no alteration, no infestation and no replaced components.	May be reused if unchanged and compliant; repaired or remanufactured units require specific controls.

COMMON EXCLUSIONS

Material/package	Why normally excluded	Common mistake
Plywood, veneer, OSB, particle board and fibreboard	Manufactured using glue, heat or pressure in a way that removes raw-wood pest risk.	Natural-wood feet, battens or blocks may still be present.
Wood 6 mm or less in thickness	Below the standard’s thickness threshold.	Measuring only an outer sheet instead of every wood component.
Sawdust, wood shavings and wood wool	Normally listed among exclusions from WPM scope.	The material itself as a commodity may face separate phytosanitary rules.
Wine and spirit barrels heated during manufacture	The manufacturing process reduces pest risk.	Assuming every handmade wooden barrel is exempt.
Processed wooden gift boxes	May be excluded when processed sufficiently to be pest-free.	Raw inserts or untreated wooden supports may still trigger the standard.
Wood permanently attached to vehicles or containers	Normally not considered loose WPM.	Loose dunnage inside the container remains potentially regulated.

DOCUMENTS AND DATA TO CHECK

Document/data	Prepared by	Used at	Fields to match
Packing specification and crate drawing	Factory/packing contractor	Before ordering packaging	Material, dimensions, raw-wood components and mark location.
Photos of WPM and IPPC marks	Factory/warehouse/forwarder	After treatment and before container loading	Clear mark, correct country/provider/treatment codes and shipment linkage.
Treatment certificate or record where additionally required	Authorized treatment provider	Buyer, carrier or authority review; not a default substitute for the mark	Lot, date, treatment method, quantity and provider code.
Commercial Invoice and Packing List	Exporter/docs team	Commercial-document issuance	Packing method, number of pallets/packages and gross weight.
Booking or buyer packaging instruction	Buyer, carrier or forwarder	Before packing cut-off	Destination, transit route and additional certificate requirements.
Authorized-provider list	NPPO/competent authority	Supplier approval	Valid provider code and authorized mark use.

OPERATIONAL WORKFLOW

Lock the route: confirm the importing country, transport mode and buyer/carrier instructions; assess transit controls where the routing or cargo status at an intermediate port may trigger them.
Classify materials: distinguish raw wood from plywood/OSB/particle board and include all dunnage.
Select the solution: source pre-treated compliant packaging or arrange treatment before packing.
Inspect the mark: verify the IPPC symbol, country-provider code and HT/DH/MB/SF code.
Preserve evidence: photograph each packaging type and link records to the PO or shipment lot.
Reconcile documents: match pallet/package counts, gross weight and packing method across booking and Packing List.
Final pre-gate check: reject WPM with pest evidence, excessive residual bark, illegible/overlapping marks or improper repair. Treat mould and physical damage additionally as quality risks; they are not automatically ISPM 15 non-compliance.

RISKS AND COMMON ERRORS

Error	Cause	Possible impact	Control
Treating pallets but missing dunnage	Packing team does not classify dunnage as WPM.	Non-compliance despite compliant main pallets.	Include every wood component in the packing specification.
False, blurred or incomplete IPPC mark	Uncontrolled pallet supplier or unauthorized marking.	Holding, treatment, removal, destruction or re-export depending on the country.	Use approved providers and retain service evidence.
Repairing a pallet while keeping the old mark	New wood is inserted without proper treatment or marking.	Unable to prove that all components are compliant.	For repaired WPM, use compliant treated or processed replacement components and manage marks under the NPPO system. For remanufactured WPM, permanently remove old marks, re-treat the whole unit and apply a new mark.
Assuming a certificate replaces the physical mark	Paper record and actual packaging do not match.	A treatment certificate does not cure a missing or invalid mark; under ISPM 15, the valid mark replaces the phytosanitary certificate for WPM.	Check the physical mark first and add a treatment certificate only where the contract, carrier or national rule actually requires it.
Post-treatment re-infestation	Storage near fresh wood, soil or pests.	Pests may be detected despite a valid mark.	Use clean segregated storage and inspect before loading.
Failing to assess applicable transit-country controls	Routing changes or the consignment passes through a country that may act on non-compliant WPM presenting an unacceptable risk.	Delay or treatment at an intermediate port.	Review the full route and update controls when the carrier changes it.

AUTHORITATIVE SOURCES

Source	Authority	Role	How to use
ISPM 15 – Regulation of wood packaging material in international trade	IPPC/FAO	Core scope, treatments and IPPC-mark requirements.	Determine coverage, exclusions and mark components.
Guide to regulation of wood packaging material (2023)	IPPC	Practical treatment, marking, repair, reuse and import-inspection guidance.	Build internal procedures and non-compliance response.
Country implementation of ISPM 15	IPPC and national NPPOs	Country-published implementation information.	Starting point; verify the latest national import rule.
ISPM 42 and ISPM 43	IPPC	Frameworks for temperature treatment and fumigation.	Understand technical treatment controls when relevant.

Open ISPM 15 IPPC Guide 2023 Country implementation Official IPPC FAQ

FAQ

1. Must every export pallet be fumigated?

No. The decision depends on whether it is regulated raw-wood packaging and whether the importing country requires ISPM 15. Transit controls are assessed separately where the route or national rules trigger them.

2. Is heat treatment the same as fumigation?

No. HT is a thermal method. MB and SF are fumigation methods. The mark must state the actual approved treatment code.

3. Is an IPPC mark enough without a fumigation certificate?

Under ISPM 15, a valid mark replaces the phytosanitary certificate for the WPM itself. A treatment certificate is additional only where a contract, carrier or national rule requires it.

4. Does an IPPC mark expire?

ISPM 15 does not set a universal expiry period. Unaltered, identifiable WPM may be reused, but treatment does not provide ongoing protection; pest evidence can still trigger action.

5. Can used wooden pallets be exported again?

Yes, if unaltered and validly marked. Repaired WPM requires compliant replacement components and mark control; remanufactured WPM must have old marks removed, be wholly re-treated and newly marked.

6. Does ISPM 15 matter for machinery and electronics?

Yes. The standard follows the wood packaging, not the commodity type.

7. What should be done if a problem is found before sailing?

Stop gate-in, isolate the unit, replace or re-treat it through an authorized provider, then update photos and shipping documents before cut-off.

APPLICATION NOTE: The final requirement depends on the actual packaging material, destination, transit route, buyer/carrier instructions and national rules in force on the shipping date. Do not reuse a prior shipment’s certificate or mark photo as evidence for the current lot. Updated 21 July 2026.

TGIMEX IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT

TGIMEX helps businesses turn the article into a shipment-ready checklist, covering input-data review, dossier preparation, milestone control, and coordination with the relevant parties.

Convert guidance into checks

Assign an owner and deadline to every operational control point.

Reconcile shipment data

Compare booking, transport, commercial, customs, and delivery evidence.

Manage operational risk

Record discrepancies, actions, and decision evidence to prevent recurrence.

Discuss your shipment dossier

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