epalrecycling.comEuro pallet reference for the US and Canada

Dielectric heating (DH)

Dielectric heating, coded DH, treats wood with microwaves or radio frequency until the entire profile, including the surface, reaches at least 60 °C for 1 continuous minute. It is an approved ISPM 15 treatment with its own code.

Document
GLS-007
Sheet
Glossary
Last reviewed
Sources
1 cited

The requirement

ISPM 15 Annex 1 sets the DH schedule at 60 °C for one continuous minute throughout the entire profile of the wood, surface included. Providers must verify their schedules against moisture content, size, density and frequency, and their national plant protection organisation should approve them.

Size limits

When a size limit applies to a treatment such as dielectric heating, ISPM 15 says bark counts in the measurement.

How common it is

We have found no published figures for how often each code appears on pallets, so we do not guess. A DH code on a pallet is valid under ISPM 15 and under the US and Canadian rules that adopt it.

On EPAL pallets

EPAL specifies heat treatment for EPAL pallets and prohibits methyl bromide. If you find DH on an EPAL-branded pallet, check the licence markings and the control staple carefully before treating it as standard.

Sources

Last reviewed . Figures come from these publications; follow the links for the current versions.

  1. ISPM 15, Regulation of wood packaging material in international trade (adopted 2018, published 2019), IPPC Secretariat / FAO

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