Learn about the environmental and business benefits of working with recycled pallets.
Want to know an eye-opening fact? According to the UN, if the global population reaches 9.6 billion by 2050, the equivalent of almost three planets could be required to provide the natural resources needed to contain current lifestyles. It’s little surprise that sustainability is a top priority for retailers and consumers in 2020. And with 2 billion pallets in use in the United States alone, there is plenty of opportunity to make smart decisions for your supply chain.
If you’re a retailer or supply chain manager looking to reduce your carbon footprint, read on to learn about the environmental and business benefits of working with recycled pallets.
1. Lower carbon footprint
New research from Penn State provided an unbiased, comprehensive lifecycle analysis of treated wooden and plastic plastics. In the study, researchers analyzed the long-term performance and ecological effects of conventional heat treated wooden pallets compared to plastic ones. The research showed that the treatment of wooden pallets incurs a carbon footprint that is lower than the production of plastic pallets. Additionally, plastic pallets are typically derived from petroleum and natural gas products, which increases their carbon footprint.
2. Model of reuse
Another benefit of recycled wooden pallets is that at the end of a wooden pallet’s lifecycle, its parts – stringers, deck boards and blocks – can be reused. Old pallets are even harvested for individual boards that can be used to repair a newer pallet.
There is also the end-of-life grinding process. This allows the materials from a wooden pallet to be used in fiber-based products like landscape mulch, animal bedding, soil enhancements and bioenergy. This model of reuse delivers wood packaging materials and pallets that can be used in other ways, minimizing waste generation and reducing the overall consumption of wood fiber.
3. Improved cost position
Apart from the eco-benefits, there are competitive benefits if your business decides to work with recycled pallets. Pallets impact overall production costs; many companies in the food and pharmaceutical industries use recycled pallets and enjoy significant cost savings in their operations. Putting in place a custom pallet management solution that allows you to reuse and repair your existing pallets also presents opportunities for improving your cost position – as well as keeping your operations running more efficiently.
Furthermore, if you work with a pallet supplier like 48forty, there are more ways to benefit from pallet retrieval transactions. We’re able to assess recovered pallets to be either repaired, dismantled, and refurbished or scrapped. This can boost your bottom line and your environmental credentials with customers.
4. Brand benefits
7 in 10 consumers are willing to pay a premium for a brand that supports sustainability, and over 77 percent of consumers report that it’s at least moderately important that brands are sustainable and environmentally responsible.
We can help
Two preconceptions that retailers may have are that recycled pallets don’t perform as well and may cost more. That’s just simply not the case. Shifting to using recycled pallets may be a new step for your organization. It’s important to partner with a company that can talk you through the different options available and what would be the most suitable for you. Whether you are striving for sustainability or aiming to improve your cost position, there are significant benefits to choosing recycled pallets.
Here at 48forty, we can customize a pallet management solution that works for your business and the environment. To see how we can help, get in touch online or give us a call at 1-877-779-8577.
