Why Do Your Wooden Pallets Need To Be Heat-Treated?

The fact that recycled pallets are growing in demand is a great thing, as that means that we are finally starting to acknowledge the fact that we all need to be more ecologically conscious. However, there are a number of factors that are affecting used pallets, which is why they need to be heat treated. One of the prime examples of why wooden pallets need to be heat treated is the Formosan Termite, which was native to East Asia but spread to the United Stated in the 1940’s with shipping crates. They quickly spread in all the humid areas and now pose a threat to all buildings and structures that are made out of wood, as termites strive on products made of wood.
Sterilizing Wood Pallets By Heat Treatment
Heat treated pallets eliminate the possibility of spreading termites, as well as any possible chemical or food residue that may remain from the previous usage. Sterilizing wood pallets by heat is long been the standard in the United States and Canada, which is done by heating the pallets until they reach a temperature of minimum 56 °C (132.8 °F). Heat treatment differentiates from kilning, as kilning is meant only to dry the wood, while the main goal of the heat treatment is to eradicate any living organisms in the wood pallet.
Credentials, Certifications and Licences
Aside from fulfilling the ISPM-15 international standard for recycled wooden pallets, you will also get the benefit of your packaging weighing less, due to the reduction, if not complete elimination of moisture content from the wood. This will reduce the costs associated with the shipping, which is something that everybody looks to do. You will also be making sure that parasites in any life stage are being completely eliminated from the wood, and that your package is safe from cross contamination and free to travel across continents.
As all manufacturers of ISPM-15 certified products must be approved by the governing body of the state, you should carefully consider where exactly are you getting your wooden pallets from. 
Pallets made of non-wood materials such as steel, aluminum, plastic, or engineered wood products, such as plywood, oriented strand board, or corrugated fiberboard do not need IPPC approval, and are considered to be exempt from ISPM 15 regulations.