epalrecycling.comEuro pallet reference for the US and Canada

IPPC symbol (wheat ear)

The IPPC symbol is the stylised ear of wheat with the letters IPPC that opens every ISPM 15 mark. Annex 2 of ISPM 15 requires it to sit to the left of the country, producer and treatment codes, inside a rectangular or square border with a vertical line separating the symbol from the codes.

Document
MRK-003
Sheet
Markings, ISPM 15
Last reviewed
Sources
2 cited
Ear-of-wheat symbol with the letters IPPC, inside a bordered box, to the left of the codesFormat
ISPM 15Scheme

Where it is

[EPAL mark][EPAL mark]IPPCXX-000HT000-0-00Centre block: treatment mark, licence and stapleOuter blockOuter block
Schematic long side. The highlighted part is the ippc symbol (wheat ear). The EPAL trademark is shown only as a labelled placeholder.

On EPAL pallets, branded on both central blocks of the long sides.

What it proves

That the wood packaging was treated with an approved ISPM 15 treatment under the authority of the national plant protection organisation.

In detail

ISPM 15 describes the mark in Annex 2, revised in April 2018. It has four required parts: the symbol, a country code, a producer or treatment provider code, and a treatment code. The symbol is the part that tells an inspector, in any language, that the codes beside it are a phytosanitary mark and not a maker's logo. The standard says no variation in the symbol should be accepted, while the layout of the codes may vary.

The mark must be rectangular or square, inside a border, with a vertical line between symbol and codes. Small gaps are allowed so it can be stencilled. It must be legible without a visual aid, durable, not transferable, not hand drawn, and placed where it is visible in use, preferably on at least two opposite sides. Red and orange should be avoided because those colours are used for dangerous goods labels. Nothing else may sit inside the border; producer logos go outside it.

EPAL says its ISPM 15 pallets can be recognised by the branded marking on both central blocks of the long sides. That is the place to look first on a euro pallet.

Common misreadings

  • A hand-drawn or painted IPPC mark is not compliant, whatever it says.
  • Extra text inside the border, such as a company logo, is outside what Annex 2 allows.

Pallets that carry it

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
  2. EPAL Euro pallet (EPAL 1), load-carrier page, European Pallet Association e.V.

What do you need to do with them?

Pick one. Each form takes about a minute and goes to one partner, not a list of dealers.

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