Disinfestation of Wooden Structures Structures & Cultural Objects Heritage
According to international legislation, all wooden packaging materials must be marked according to the international standard ISPM-15 (International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures) after having undergone a thermal disinfestation process. The standard excludes raw wood of 6 mm thickness or less and processed wood that has been produced using glue, heat, pressure or a combination thereof.
This requirement applies to exports to a third country from Greece or through our country to another EU Member State. Its purpose is to eliminate the export and spread of pathogenic pests, quarantine pests (e.g. wood-eating insects) and in particular Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (coniferous nematode moth) in wood packaging and transport media.
The protocol stipulates that thermal disinfestation must be carried out only in special chambers with ISPM-15 certification and that the temperature must be maintained at 56 °C in the centre of the wooden packaging for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Each wooden article is then stamped with a compliance mark, or 'wheat stamp', bearing the licence number of the fumigator who carried out the fumigation and the corresponding ISPM-15 certificate is issued.
Why is ISPM-15 Thermal Fumigation effective on timber?
All insects are killed without insecticides when exposed to temperatures above 50C for a few hours, as their cell membranes are altered, their proteins are denatured, etc. At this temperature their eggs are also destroyed, so it is safe that they will not hatch during transport.
By using a sensor in the centre of the timber we confirm that the necessary temperature has been reached in the hardest part, and therefore also in the egg.