
If your business frequently ships internationally, you should be familiar with heat treated pallets. Heat treated pallets are often required in order to comply with international export standards. In addition to ensuring export compliance and facilitating an efficient international supply chain, heat treated pallets offer many benefits including increased durability, increased safety, and reduced weight. They also help protect the environment by reducing the spread of invasive species and enabling reuse and recycling year after year.
Keep reading to learn the answers to frequently asked questions about heat treated pallets, including what a heat treated pallet is, why you might need a heat treated pallet, how to identify a heat treated pallet, and the benefits of using heat treated pallets for your shipping needs.
Heat treated pallets are often referred to as HT pallets, yet the concept remains the same: heat treatment is a method of sterilizing the wood to remove all hazardous materials, thereby making the pallets safer and better suited for shipment. The process involves heating the pallet to a minimum core temperature of 56°C (132.8 °F) for at least 30 minutes. The wood is then stamped to indicate that the heat treatment has been completed and complies with international standards.
HT pallets are regulated by the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM 15), which requires that the wood utilized for pallets is debarked, heat treated, and stamped with a mark of compliance. The ISPM 15 standards have been adopted by all U.S. trading partners, incorporated into U.S. and Canadian regulations since 2012.
IPPC certified heat treated pallets are typically stamped in black ink, with the stamp surrounded by either a square or oval shape. The code on the pallet will include the letters HT. See the image below for a clear example of what a heat treated pallets stamp looks like:
Heat treating wood pallets removes any trace of fungus, disease, or insects that may be present in the wood. This is critical for international trade–and even when crossing state lines–to avoid introducing non-native diseases and species that could be disastrous to the local ecosystem. Even if these organisms are not visible to the naked eye, they may still be present in untreated wood. Heat treating effectively reduces the risk of pest infestation.
In addition, heat treating takes water out of the wood and makes the wood more water-resistant. This not only reduces pallet weight, protecting product from damage and reducing the risk of load rejection due to unsanitary conditions like mold and bacteria growth.
While heat treated pallets often come at a higher price point compared to non-treated pallets, heat treating offers many advantages that can quickly offset the added expense. These benefits include:
All PalletOne locations are audited and certified annually by third-party inspectors to provide heat-treated pallets for export in accordance with the IPPC’s most current ISPM 15 requirements.
As an industry leader, our team is well educated on ISPM 15 rules and regulations for HT pallets and stays informed on the latest changes in wood packaging export requirements. We can help you ensure that your shipment meets all required international regulations and will keep you up to date on regulation changes that may affect your shipments.
Still have questions about our heat treated pallets? If so, we welcome you to contact us by phone or email for a free quote and a detailed consultation to help you make the right choice.
Categories
Categories
Contact us now
for sales & services
1-866-336-6032
Copyright © PalletOne.
All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy | Sitemap