MB pallets: methyl bromide and what it means for reuse
MB on a pallet's ISPM 15 stamp means the wood was fumigated with methyl bromide, a toxic gas that also depletes the ozone layer. The US has phased out its production and consumption except for critical uses and quarantine and preshipment treatments (EPA). Keep MB pallets out of homes, gardens, animal housing and fires.
What the mark means
ISPM 15 lets countries accept wood packaging treated either by heat (HT) or by methyl bromide fumigation (MB), marked with the treatment code (ISPM 15). For what each character in an ISPM 15 stamp means, use the stamp decoder at epalrecycling.com.
Why MB is treated with caution
EPA describes methyl bromide as a toxic substance that is most dangerous at the fumigation site because it dissipates quickly, and notes the US has phased out its production and consumption with exceptions for critical uses and for quarantine and preshipment (EPA).
Residual risk in an old pallet is not something we can quantify for you, and we haven't found a study that does it for household reuse. The conservative rule is simple: don't bring MB wood indoors, don't burn it, don't use it for food, animals or vegetable beds.
What to do with MB pallets
- Put them back into pallet use through a reuse company, which is what they were made for.
- If broken, send them with commercial wood waste rather than into DIY.
Sources
- Methyl Bromide (Phaseout of Ozone-Depleting Substances) U.S. EPA. Accessed October 27, 2026.
- ISPM 15: Regulation of wood packaging material in international trade (2018 edition) IPPC / FAO. Accessed October 27, 2026. Annex 1: heat treatment (HT) to a minimum of 56 °C for 30 continuous minutes through the whole profile of the wood.