ISPM 15 wood packaging: treatment, marking, exporters Goods ready, pallet unstamped. It can be held on arrival.
In international trade, pallets, crates, cases and dunnage made of raw wood must be treated and marked under the ISPM 15 standard so that they do not carry pests. For exports from Türkiye only heat treatment may be used: in a kiln at 56 °C for 30 minutes including the core (HT), or by dielectric heating at 60 °C for 1 minute (DH). An exporter may buy wood packaging only from a licensed facility or registered supplier on the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's list. Even if the goods are exported through a contract manufacturer or an agent, the responsibility stays with the exporter.
What is covered and what is exempt
ISPM 15 regulates packaging made of raw wood in international trade and also covers dunnage. The standard states that dunnage in particular presents a high risk of spreading pests. The following are exempt (ISPM 15 section 2.1):
- packaging made entirely of wood 6 mm thick or less,
- packaging made wholly of processed wood such as plywood, particle board, OSB or veneer produced with glue, heat or pressure,
- wine and spirit barrels heated during manufacture,
- gift boxes for wine, cigars and similar goods made of wood processed to be pest-free,
- sawdust, wood shavings and wood wool,
- wood components permanently attached to freight vehicles and containers.
Approved treatments
| Treatment | Mark code | Minimum requirement | In Türkiye |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat treatment in a kiln | HT | At least 56 °C throughout the whole profile of the wood, core included, for at least 30 continuous minutes | Used |
| Dielectric heating | DH | At least 60 °C throughout the whole profile of the wood, surface included, for 1 continuous minute | Used |
| Methyl bromide fumigation | MB | Dose and time in ISPM 15 Annex 1 | Not permitted |
| Sulphuryl fluoride fumigation | SF | Dose and time in ISPM 15 Annex 1 | Not permitted |
Annex 1 of the Turkish regulation also requires the packaging to be made of debarked wood and states for MB and SF that "this technique cannot be used in our country". For exports from Türkiye, wood packaging is treated only by HT or DH.
How to read the mark
Under the Turkish regulation, the ISPM 15 mark contains (Annex 1):
- the IPPC symbol, inside the ear-of-wheat emblem,
- the country code TR,
- 00-000: the facility number issued by the provincial directorate (the first two digits are the province's vehicle registration code, the rest the facility number),
- HT or DH: the treatment applied.
The mark must be legible, durable and not transferable; it must not be hand drawn, and red and orange are avoided because they are used on dangerous goods labels. It is applied on at least two opposite sides of the packaging, and on dunnage at short intervals along its whole length; no other symbol or information may be placed inside the mark (Annex 1; ISPM 15 Annex 2). Türkiye also provides for a separate traceability mark and a QR code; the QR code is not applied until the directive governing it enters into force (temporary art. 1/7).
The exporter's obligations in Türkiye
The regulation entered into force in stages on 1 January 2025 and 1 July 2025 and repealed the 2019 regulation (art. 23–24). A business using wood packaging for exports, a "user" in the regulation's terms (art. 15/1):
- buys packaging only from licensed facilities or registered suppliers listed on the Ministry's website; nothing may be bought for export from a business not on the list (c),
- on receipt, checks the heat treatment printout, the invoice or delivery note and the information on the packaging against each other, rejects it if they do not match, and keeps the documents for two years (a),
- uses the most recently treated packaging for exports (ç) and does not keep marked and unmarked packaging together (d),
- is responsible for keeping the packaging in quarantine condition from receipt until the goods leave Turkish customs (e),
- remains responsible for the packaging complying with the regulation even when exporting through a contract manufacturer, agent or similar intermediary (f).
Repair and reuse
Under ISPM 15, packaging with up to approximately one third of its components replaced counts as "repaired"; every replaced component must be of treated wood. If more than one third has been replaced, it counts as "remanufactured": old marks are permanently obliterated, and the packaging is re-treated and marked anew (sections 4.3.2–4.3.3).
In Türkiye, wood packaging that arrived with imported goods can be used for export without re-treatment if it has not been repaired, the mark is legible, there are no signs of pests and the invoice of the imported goods has the heat treatment printout attached. That printout is kept for five years (art. 8/1–2). Packaging with a foreign mark that cannot be documented in this way may be used only within Türkiye, and "not to be used for export" is written on the sales invoice (art. 8/2-b-3).
If it fails on arrival
Where wood packaging carries no mark or pests are found, the plant protection authority of the destination country may detain the consignment while the situation is addressed; it may remove the non-compliant material, treat it, destroy it or reship the consignment (ISPM 15 section 4.6). The importing country decides which measure applies.
When it goes wrong
The dunnage is forgotten
The pallets are marked, but the blocks and boards securing the load in the container are untreated. Dunnage is also covered by ISPM 15 and must be marked along its whole length.
Pallets are bought from a seller not on the list
A user who buys packaging for export from a business not on the Ministry's list is deemed under the regulation to have acted against the rules on pest control (art. 15/1-c).
Imported pallets are reused without documents
A foreign-marked pallet that cannot be documented with a heat treatment printout may be used only within Türkiye. Keep the invoice of the imported goods and the attached printout for five years.
New boards on a repaired pallet are untreated
Every new component used in a repair must be of treated wood; if more than one third has been replaced, the pallet is re-treated and marked anew.
Frequently asked
Does a plywood crate need heat treatment?
Packaging made wholly of processed wood such as plywood, particle board or OSB is exempt from ISPM 15. If part of the crate is raw wood, for example the skids, those parts are covered.
What if I use plastic pallets?
ISPM 15 regulates wood packaging; a non-wood pallet is outside the standard. If other wooden dunnage is used in the container, that material is covered.
Can I apply the mark myself?
No. In Türkiye, heat treatment and marking are carried out only at licensed facilities, by the heat treatment operator they employ (art. 7/1-a). A business marking without a licence is a ground for sanctions (amendment of 30.12.2025).
Which countries apply ISPM 15?
ISPM 15 is an international standard of the IPPC; which country applies it, when and how depends on that country's own plant health legislation. Confirm the current requirement of the destination country with your importer or that country's plant protection authority.
Sources
- IPPC — ISPM 15, Regulation of wood packaging material in international trade (adopted 2018, published 2019) section 2.1 (exemptions), section 4.3 (reuse, repair, remanufacture), section 4.6 (non-compliance on arrival), Annex 1 (HT 56 °C/30 min, DH 60 °C/1 min), Annex 2 (mark) · ippc.int · accessed 29 Sep 2026
- Regulation on Heat Treatment and Marking of Wood Packaging Material, Official Gazette 26.07.2024 / 32613 art. 7 (treatment and marking), art. 8 (marked and used packaging), art. 15 (duties of suppliers and users), art. 23–24 (entry into force, repeal of the 2019 regulation), temporary art. 1/7 (QR code), Annex 1 (approved measures, mark) · resmigazete.gov.tr · accessed 29 Sep 2026
- Official Gazette 30.12.2025 / 33123 — amending regulation art. 18: an unlicensed business applying the ISPM 15 mark is a ground for sanctions · resmigazete.gov.tr · accessed 29 Sep 2026
This page is for information only. The standard and regulation texts were read directly and article numbers are given. The import requirements of the destination country may include additional rules beyond ISPM 15; confirm with your importer and your wood packaging supplier before shipment. The list of licensed facilities is on the website of the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
Change log
- Page published. ISPM 15 was written from the IPPC's 2018 text, and the Turkish regulation and its 2025 amendment from the Official Gazette and the current text on mevzuat.gov.tr, all read directly.