United States Department of Agriculture
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Wood Packaging Material (WPM)
Wood packaging material made of unprocessed raw wood is recognized as a pathway for the introduction and spread of pests. To limit the entry and spread of quarantine pest through international trade, the International Plant Protection Convention adopted the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade (ISPM 15).
Trading partners are adopting the ISPM15 in their import regulations. As the National Plant Protection Organization of the United States, the United States Department of Agriculture, in coordination with the wood packaging material industry, has developed an export program to guarantee compliance with the import requirements of trading countries. The program insures certified treatment and marking of wood packaging material for international trade, while maintaining traceability of the packaging material. The integrity of the program is dependent upon industries compliance.
Heat Treatment and Methyl Bromide Fumigation Programs
The Heat Treatment Program and Methyl Bromide Fumigation Treatment program were developed in order for the American Lumber Standard Committee (ALSC) to implement a quality control program for the official labeling of heat treated wood packaging material with the ISPM 15 official mark to signify compliance with the ISPM 15 standard, and to implement a quality control program for the official labeling of WPM fumigated with Methyl Bromide.
Frequently Asked Questions
View a list of the frequently asked questions and answers written as an aide in interpreting the implementation of the United States Heat Treatment and Fumigation Program.