ISPM 15 standard for wooden packaging material
The ISPM 15 standard, issued by FAO, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, specifies the requirements for the treatment and labelling of wooden packaging material used in international trade.
The ISPM 15 standard requires that wooden packaging material is manufactured from debarked wood and heat treated continuously, to a minimum temperature of 56 °C for a minimum duration of 30 minutes, throughout the entire profile of the wood including its core, or that the wood is fumigated with methyl bromide.
In Finland, packaging material is usually manufactured from heat-treated wood because the use of methyl bromide is prohibited here. Kiln-drying is accepted as heat treatment if the temperature during the treatment process reaches the heat-treatment requirements set by the standard.
Treated packaging material is marked with a label compliant with the standard, featuring the IPPC logo, producer/treatment provider code, country code and treatment marking. Of the treatment markings, HT refers to heat treatment and MB to methyl bromide treatment.
