heat treated pallets

The heat treatment of wood shipping pallets is critical to the safety of consumers. With ongoing news developments concerning recalls within the food and pharmaceutical industries as a result of the presence of chemical traces from the fumigation pallets, the method of sterilization by heat treatment is the safe option for sterilizing wood pallets.

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The International Phytosanitary Standard for Wood Packaging - ISPM15, adopted by fourteen countries and the entire European Union, relates to all forms of wood packaging material. This international standard requires that the wood be debarked, heat treated and then stamped with a mark of compliance.

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Sterilizing exported wood packaging

It is the spread of wood pests that led to the development and the implementation of the ISPM-15 treatment standard. For example, the Formosan termite, a native of East Asia, is believed to have been introduced to the United States in the 1940s. The termites likely arrived in the USA via military ships returning from World War II. These ships carried cargo in wood crates and pallets.

Since being introduced to the US, the termites have spread throughout the southeastern states, favoring the coastal areas and warm, humid weather.

As per all termites, this species survives on wood products. Termites are destructive insects which cause severe damage to homes and buildings.

In this method of wood sterilization, the wood shipping pallets are heated until they reach a minimum core temperature of 140.0 °F for at least 30 minutes.

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