Where to look
EPAL says its ISPM 15 pallets carry the branded mark on both central blocks of the long sides. ISPM 15 asks for the mark on at least two opposite sides where possible.
Read it left to right
- Symbol: the wheat ear with IPPC. It must be inside the border, left of a vertical line.
- Country: ISO 3166-1 two-letter code, then a hyphen. GB, not UK.
- Producer or treatment provider: the code the national plant protection organisation assigned. Formats vary by country.
- Treatment: HT, DH, MB or SF, on its own line or after a hyphen.
Type what you see into the stamp decoder to get each part labelled.
Faults that matter
- No mark at all. In the US an inspector may order unmarked wood packaging re-exported on arrival.
- Hand-drawn marks. ISPM 15 says the mark must not be hand drawn.
- MB on an EPAL pallet. EPAL prohibits methyl bromide on EPAL pallets.
- Extra text inside the border. Only the four components belong inside it.
EPAL markings next to it
On EPAL pallets you should also see the licence number with year and month and a control staple. On repaired pallets look for the repair marking nail.