ISPM 15 treatment

To prevent the spread of harmful insects living in wood, the FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations) has established packaging standards.

ISPM 15 treatment is required by an increasing number of countries, and the use of non-compliant packaging can lead to goods being rejected or even destroyed. Below is an updated list of countries which require ISPM 15 compliant packaging.

Why is the treatment required?

Materials used for packaging are often made of raw wood which has not been treated sufficiently to remove harmful insects, and can therefore lead to the introduction and spread of such insects in other countries. Furthermore, wooden packaging is very often reused or recycled: its origin therefore becomes difficult to trace, as does the healthiness of the material. For this reason, the FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations) has established standards to prevent the spread of harmful insects living in wood.

WHAT DOES IT CONSIST OF?

There are two types of treatment to eliminate harmful insects:

WHAT IS REQUIRED BY THE AUTHORITIES FOR THE TRANSFER OF GOODS FROM ONE COUNTRY TO ANOTHER?

The fumigation certificate is no longer required to prove that the treatment has been carried out. The packaging must carry the IPSM Marking, which has to follow a certain format as shown below.