IPPC - History

IPPC & Heat Treated Pallets

History of IPPC

From crops to herbs to gardens, we use plants to help us maintain our everyday lives. Plants help produce the oxygen we breathe, they provide food and nutrients for animals, and they provide food and nutrients for us. No matter where you go in the world, plants are basic staples in the diets of people. It makes sense, then, that countries would try to come together to help sustain this natural resource. In 1952, the International Plant Protection Convention was formed by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations. Their goal was to join countries together to help fight against the spread of plant diseases. Some of their responsibilities include updating the list of current pests, tracking and controlling pest outbreaks, as well as allocating time, money, and resources between member nations to help them fight and prevent disease. Over the past fifty years, nations who have been a part of this organization have worked together to fight the problem of pest outbreaks. Pest outbreaks can cause major problems by affecting produced foods, farmers’ crops and livestock, and the people who eat this infect food. As of March 8, 2007, there 161 countries who are a part of this treaty organization, and that number is expected to rise in the next several years. Some of the nations belonging to the IPPC include Australia, Argentina, Canada, Egypt, Germany, Italy, India, Japan, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States. For more information about the International Plant Protection Convention, please visit their website at https://www.ippc.int/IPP/En/default.jsp.

ISPM 15

In March, 2002, the IPPC passed a measure requiring that all solid wood packaging be heat-treated or fumigated before they can be imported into any of the member countries. Approved pallets are then marked with the official certified seal, demonstrating plainly that these pallets meet the standard requirements. This standard, known as ISPM 15, is now being enforced throughout the world, so pallet manufacturers are now forced to choose between heat-treating and fumigating their wooden pallets. Buckeye Diamond has been heat-treating all their wooden pallets for years, because fumigating with methyl bromide is harmful to the ozone layer and our environment. With Buckeye Diamond, you can be sure that your import and export shipping and handling needs will be met, no matter where you’ll be sending your products. For more information about why Buckeye Diamond is committed to using heat-treated wooden pallets, check out http://www.buckeyediamond.com/benefits-heattreated.htm.