What Is IPPC/ISPM 15?

International Standards for phytosanitary measures (ISPMs) are prepared by the Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) as part of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organizations global programme of policy and technical assistance in plant quarantine. The IPPC is an international treaty relating to plant health to which approximately 134 governments currently adhere. The purpose of the IPPC is to secure common and effective action to prevent the spread and introduction of pests of plants and plant products, and to promote appropriate measures for their control.

ISPM 15 is the 'International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures Publication No. 15: Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade'. The full text of this standard is available from the International Phytosanitary Portal.

ISPM 15 was developed to address the global spread of timber pests by regulating the movement of timber packing and dunnage in international trade. ISPM 15 describes phytosanitary measures to reduce the risk of introduction and/or spread of quarantine pests associated with solid timber packing material (includes dunnage).


 
 
     
  Manufactured Processed Wood  
 
ISPM 15 does not apply to packing material made exclusively from manufactured processed wood products such as plywood, chipboard, fibreboard, oriented strand board (OSB),compressed wood and medium density fibreboard (MDF). These are products that are a composite of wood constructed using glue, heat and pressure, or any combination thereof should be considered sufficiently processed to have eliminated the risk associated with the raw wood. It is unlikely to be infested by raw wood pests during its use and therefore should not be regulated unless technically justified.