Written by Ongweoweh team member Martin Hawkins
In the fight to sustain our environment, one of our most effective weapons is a wood pallet. Some laypeople believe that the only way for a tree to help combat climate change is by staying rooted in the ground. However, according to an environmental product declaration (EPD) released in 2020, wood pallets have a net carbon positive impact when used properly.
Wood Pallets Are Mother Nature’s Friend
Trees absorb carbon emissions throughout their lifetimes through the process of photosynthesis. Meanwhile, a tree will release a small amount of carbon dioxide back into the environment via decomposition at the end of its life. So, how is it that using wood pallets can be a net positive for our environment?
The answer is twofold; first off, a wood pallet can be recycled and reused in multiple ways once it reaches the end of its lifecycle, unlike pallets made from other materials. So, a wood pallet should never get thrown away, but rather recycled or reprocessed for another use.
Second, the lumber used in the pallet industry is sustainably harvested by eco-conscious lumber mills. These companies operate carefully and with guidance from forest sustainability experts to make sure that the timber they remove from the forest will grow back as healthily and quickly as possible. The process of producing a wood pallet from the raw material also produces less carbon dioxide than many may think.
For example, a 2019 study from the Finnish Department of Sustainability Science found that producing a plastic Euro pallet (1200mm x 800mm with 9 blocks) with virgin material emits 120kg of CO2. However, producing the same size pallet using new wood emits just .34kg of CO2.
Life Expectancy
Like any product, there is a finite lifetime for a wood pallet. Luckily, wood pallets are not only made to be durable, but they can also be reused multiple times before they may need to be repaired or replaced.
For example, the EPD references a service life of at least 10 trips for a low-density stringer pallet, 38 trips for a high-density stringer pallet, and 16 and 66 trips for low-density and high-density block pallets respectively.
While there is a limit to how many times a pallet can be re-used (due in part to mishandling and/or improper storage conditions), it can often be repaired and returned to service. Many companies are now investigating Repair & Return programs [potential inbound link] to reduce pallet spend and to become more eco-friendly. As the name suggests, these programs facilitate the retrieval of your pallets, the repair of said pallets, and finally the return for reuse of these wood pallets.
If a company partners with a quality wood pallet provider, their pallets will last and will be reused as many times as safely possible. This helps to drive down the environmental impact of wood pallets (and the cost to your bottom line!).
Recycling & Reprocessing Wood Pallets
The GMA pallet (48×40, 4-way entry, 7 top boards, 5 bottom boards) is the standard pallet that most customers use. This began several decades ago when the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) realized that by standardizing the pallets they use, they were much easier to reuse. This saved grocers money in breakage, as well as in new pallet sales.
It also gave rise to a new type of pallet supplier in pallet recyclers. These are companies who make their money by collecting used pallets, repairing them back to industry standards, and then reselling them for a profit. These newly repaired pallets are called recycled pallets.
As one would imagine, this means getting more turns, or trips, out of a wood pallet while minimizing additional greenhouse gas emissions. Pallet recyclers have also figured out the most efficient and environmentally friendly way to do business.
For example, when they find a wood pallet that can’t be repaired to industry standards, they will disassemble the pallet and reuse the materials. This material can then be used to repair more GMA pallets, or for something known as a ‘Reman‘ or remanufactured pallet.
Reman wood pallets are made with all recycled materials and can have a 48×40 footprint, or could be made into a custom size. Many suppliers can also produce a combo pallet made from both used and new material.
What if a pallet recycler has material that they cannot reuse? Or if they simply have too much material and need to downsize? That’s when a wood pallet is reprocessed into another wood product.
End-of-Life Retire Rate
Many recyclers have begun converting their unwanted wood material into products such as mulch, animal bedding, or biofuel. It is worth mentioning that the carbon captured by a pallet does not dissipate during its service life, so repurposing or reprocessing a wood pallet only makes them more environmentally friendly.
Although other materials can boast more turns or trips than a wood pallet, there is no material which is easier to reuse. A 2018 study by Virginia Tech and the USDA Forest Service found that out of 508 million new pallets that were manufactured, 25 million were landfilled in that year.
That is a recycle rate of 95%. So, in other words, 95% of these pallets were repaired and re-entered service, converted into repair material, or reprocessed into other goods. According to the same study, just over 10% of alternative packaging materials (including plastic) were recycled.
Ongweoweh’s commitment to the environment is more than just idle talk. In fact, Sustainability is one of our core values, in which each action and decision we make are rooted.
Due to our industry expertise and core competencies, Ongweoweh is uniquely positioned to help your company not only sustainably manage your pallets, but also capture and report the environmentally friendly choice to use wood pallets back to your stakeholders.
Contact us today to learn more.
