Export Pallets Defined
When shipping pallets out of the United States, you must conform to custom rules to ensure your shipment does not get quarantined. If you are using wooden pallets, they must be either fumigated or heat treated and posses a certified stamp on the pallet. This signifies that the pallet has been exposed to either heat or fumigation to kill any wood boring bugs that may be in the wood.
Heat Treating Pallets
To properly heat treat a pallet, it must go into a heat treat chamber and maintain a core temperature of 140 degrees for a minimum of 30 minutes. This ensures all bug present in the inner of outer portion of the wood have been killed and the wood is now safe to send to another country. In addition, each pallet must be stamped with a valid stamp provided by the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and has to be legible. Also, a certificate must be provided to present in the event customs wants to challenge the validity of the heat treated pallet.
Fumigation Of Pallets
Methyl bromide fumigation is another method to control pine beetles or other plant bacteria, but is not considered safe.
Kiln Dried Pallets (KD)
These are mostly new pallets that have been dried at the lumber mill in a kiln to a moisture content below 19%. This wood is also safe to export and can be stamped without heat treating or fumigation.
