Regulations governing international trade in forest products must balance the economic and social benefits of trade with the potential risks of transporting invasive species. The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) is an international agreement intended to manage this process. It develops international phytosanitary standards (ISPMs) that are recognised by the World Trade Organisation. Currently accepted phytosanitary treatments for forest products used for wood packaging include heat treatment and fumigation with methyl bromide. A wider range phytosanitary treatments and pest managements options are needed to protect and expand the forest products trade. Wood protection treatments are designed to extend the service life of wood products by protecting them from future attack by wood-destroying organisms, while the primary goal of phytosanitary treatments is to eliminate existing pests in the wood. The two goals therefore require different efficacy data. Most chemicals/processes have not been assessed for efficacy against the insects, fungi and nematodes of phytosanitary concern. Treaters interested in demonstrating the phytosanitary efficacy of their process or product would need to provide evidence that their treatments were greatly reducing pest loads and should work with their NPPO to develop data that will be accepted internationally. This paper reviews the international regulatory framework managing phytosanitary risk, and describes the current knowledge and potential opportunities for wood preserving treatments to be accepted as phytosanitary treatments. Those processes that include high temperatures or achieve maximum penetration into the wood, and are effective against a wide range of pests, will likely be the most effective phytosanitary treatments.

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