Heat treated pallets for loads leaving the country

01 What the HT mark says

ISPM 15 is the international standard that regulates wood packaging material in international trade. It exists to stop timber pests from moving with freight. The wood must be debarked first, then either heat treated or fumigated, and then marked. Allowed bark must be under 3 cm wide, or under 50 square cm in surface area if wider. The mark itself is read in the guide to the HT stamp.

02 Do you need it?

Ask for HT on the request and name the destination country. The reply will say what can be supplied and what mark it carries.

• Overseas shipments: yes, as a rule, because most countries require ISPM 15 on wood packaging.
• Domestic loads: no. A standard pallet will do.
• Canada: wood packaging coming in from the continental United States is currently exempt from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's policy D-98-08, pending a phased move to full ISPM 15. Rules change, so confirm with your broker.

03 HT does not mean mould-proof

A pallet loaded into a trailer while still hot is susceptible to mould, because heat treatment does not make wood immune. Wood with a moisture content below 20% will not support mould, mildew, decay or fungus. Even slight air movement of a few feet per second helps stored pallets stay dry. Read more in the moisture guide.

04 Sizes and builds in HT

Any standard size can be heat treated, and so can any build. The usual export choices from Pittsburgh are 48 x 40 for general freight and 48 x 48 or 48 x 42 for chemical and resin shipments, as the size index shows. Block builds suit heavy crates because they take forks on all four sides.

05 What to send

1. Size and build.
2. A rough count and whether it repeats.
3. The destination country or port, if you know it.
4. Whether the pallets are new, combo or used, and your ZIP for delivery.

06 Questions to settle before ordering HT

1. Does the receiving country require ISPM 15 for wood packaging, and does your forwarder agree?
2. Is the whole crate wood, or only the pallet? Crates and dunnage need the mark too.
3. Is the pallet new, or will an unmarked used pallet be reused? An unmarked pallet cannot be treated after the fact on the dock.
4. How long will the load sit before it ships, and where? Dry storage prevents mould on a pallet that came out of treatment warm.