The Eco Friendly Pallet Industry
19 Mar 2016
With a wide range of pallets on the market, the choice can be overwhelming. A new initiative, however, could make that decision a little bit easier for those concerned about the environment.
The National Wooden Pallet and Container Association (NWPCA), the Canadian Association, the Western Pallet Association (WPA) and the Pallet Foundation have joined forces to form Nature’s Packaging, an initiative to encourage the use of wood pallets and packaging. The organisation distributes educational literature to pallet users and aims to inform them about the benefits of using wooden packaging through its website, which launched in March 2016. While the organisation claims it has no interest in criticising other forms of packaging, such as plastic, it certainly makes a persuasive case for the use of wooden products.
The Advantages
Unlike plastic pallets and packaging, wooden products are entirely biodegradable as well as easily recycled again and again. In fact, even at the end of the life of each wooden pallet, they can be ground down into wood fibre for further use, avoiding landfill. In addition to this, according to the Confederation Europeenne des Industries du Bois, every time wooden products are used in place of other materials, 1.1 tonnes less CO2 is emitted into the atmosphere.
Wooden pallets are also extremely easy to construct, requiring fewer bespoke tools and machines compared to plastic pallets. This fact, alongside the recyclable nature of the wood, makes it so wooden pallets are easy to purchase and are widely available and used across the world.
Plastic pallets may have the benefit of being very light, but wooden pallets are capable of withstanding much more weight, making them suitable for companies that ship, transport, and store heavier products.
The Drawbacks
While there are clearly many advantages to using wood, some critics have raised concerns about the fact that deforestation can have devastating effects on large swathes of woodland. While it’s a valid concern, Nature’s Packaging claim that North America’s forests are currently growing at twice the rate of deforestation, negating any increased use of wood.
While Nature’s Packaging is based in North America, the initiative has sparked some interest in Europe, with more customers showing an interest in green alternatives to non-wood materials. In terms of wooden pallets, the price has been a concern for some, who were worried that wooden pallets’ prices may be higher than their regular orders. However, with the rise in popularity of wood, the prices are becoming more and more competitive and affordable. What’s more, many companies are stocking wooden pallets in the standard pallet size UK and Europe customers require, so systems need not change to accommodate the new products.
The Nature’s Packaging initiative draws much-needed attention to the importance of implementing environmentally friendly practices within the industry. With just a few small changes, a huge difference can be made to the amount of CO2 which is emitted into the atmosphere, reducing the effects of global warming. By continuing to pay attention to sustainable alternatives, we can look after the planet without affecting the success of our businesses.
Used Pallet Collection Service
At Associated Pallets, we are proud to offer our used pallet collection service. Our eco friendly pallets can all be recycled in a vast number of ways, and we will gladly refurbish and recycle any unwanted wooden pallets you may have lying around. Any wooden pallets that can’t be refurbished and reused can even be turned into wood chips to find new life rather than ending up in a landfill. We can even pay for your pallets depending on the type that you have and the location! Contact us today via our online contact form with your details to learn more about our products and services.
Associated Pallets has already succeeded in saving wooden pallets from landfill, as in 2019 alone, we sold over 245,000 refurbished pallets. We comply with all regulations and standards to improve our sustainability techniques and have implemented our own quality and environmental management system to the ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 standards.
Wooden Pallet Prices
Invest in Associated Pallets for wooden pallets that are high quality and environmentally friendly! It’s easy to get a quick quote on our website for all our wooden pallet products. Get in contact with us via our online contact form, or give us a call at 03301 757766 and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can and answer any questions you may have about our eco friendly pallets.