Why do container floors get treated at all?
Container floors are usually wood. NPSA’s container page says members’ containers have marine plywood floors. A container builder, Falcon Structures, says original floors of marine plywood or bamboo contain products that act as pesticides.
That becomes your question when you rent, sell or modify a used box. Customers ask it, and you need a clear, documented answer.
What chemicals do operators hear about?
Three product names come up often. Falcon Structures names Basileum, Tailileum 400 and Radaleum as floor pesticides. Falcon says studies by the Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health, LLC found “selective toxicity to insects, not people.” It also says their vapor pressure is low.
Treat that as a vendor statement from 2021. Falcon does not publish a plain-language list of which product goes in which container. Ask your supplier for a written record of the floor treatment. Ask for the product’s safety data sheet too.
Note one related point. Floor treatment is not fumigation. A 2015 journal review of volatile compounds in container transport covers gases used to treat freight, such as phosphine and methyl bromide. Its authors write that, since no reliable indication of absent toxic gases exists, “each container has to be regarded as potentially hazardous” until it is tested or aired. That is about import containers and fumigants, not floor products. Still, it is a good reason to air out any container before people work inside.
What do IICL and ISO say about floors?
Both set quality and strength rules. Their public pages do not describe treatment chemistry.
| Source | What it covers | What it covers for floors |
|---|---|---|
| IICL technical bulletins | Dry van floor structure and repair | Titles include TB-001 (Revision 4, 18 June 2026) on new structural floor panels, TB 003 on finger cracking in plywood floor boards, TB 004 on dowel repair and TB 006 on a floor quality assurance audit form |
| IICL news | Floorboard production and markings | A 9 October 2026 item clarifies floorboard markings that reference TB 001 |
| ISO 1496 (1496-1:2013) | Specification and testing of general cargo containers | The ISO page abstract covers basic specifications and testing. It does not mention floor treatment |
Public titles and abstracts do not show whether these documents limit any chemical. Read the full documents before you cite them to a customer.
IICL stands for Institute of International Container Lessors. A container inspection record is a good place to start your paperwork.
What do NPSA’s reports cover?
NPSA’s Industry Reports page lists two documents. Their captions read “Safe Use & Compliance for Modified ISO Shipping Containers” and “Toxicological Evaluation of Four Wood Treating Products.”
Read both in full before you make any claim to a customer. Members can also ask peers in the community forum, which has a Container Modifications category and a Safety category.
What should operators do?
You cannot make a floor safe by wording. You can make your records clear and your claims honest.
- Ask each supplier for the floor treatment record and the safety data sheet.
- Record the container’s source, grade and inspection report in your file.
- Ask whether a one-trip container fits jobs where customers will be inside. Falcon notes a single trip lowers concern about prior cargo.
- Air out every container before people work inside.
- For offices, shops or living space, hire a qualified professional and follow local building rules.
- Do not call a floor “non-toxic” in marketing unless your records back it up. Ask an attorney about wording.
Our glossary entry on floor treatment explains the term in plain words.
What do customers ask, and what can you answer?
Customers ask short questions. Give short answers that your records can support.
| Customer question | An answer you can stand behind | Document to have ready |
|---|---|---|
| Is the floor treated? | Container floors are usually treated wood, and we can share our supplier’s record | Supplier treatment record, safety data sheet |
| Has this box carried other cargo? | Ask the supplier and tell the customer what you know | Container history, inspection report |
| Is it safe to work inside? | After airing and inspection, and under local building rules for occupied space | Inspection note, professional sign-off for offices |
| Can I store food in it? | Check food safety rules for your use before you commit | Written customer acknowledgment |
Say what you know and what you do not. A plain “We do not know yet, and we will ask our supplier” is better than a guess.
How do grade and history change the picture?
Grades such as one-trip or cargo worthy are trade terms. They are not one legal standard. A one-trip container made one voyage, so it has less history. A used box has more. Both can carry a treated wood floor.
Falcon Structures says a one-trip container reduces concern about prior cargo, and that buying from a source that inspects containers helps. That is a builder’s view. Your own inspection record gives you better proof. See our glossary entry for wind and water tight for another common grade.
Next step
Want peers who have faced the same customer questions? Join NPSA and use the forum and reports. Join NPSA.