How Are Wooden Pallets An Eco-Friendly Shipping Option
How Are Wooden Pallets An Eco-Friendly Shipping Option?
In order to acquire wood, trees have to be cut down. Many people think that it is not a good thing we have to do that to fulfill our needs in daily life. When it comes to wooden pallets, they are considered to be an eco-friendly option for shipping. There are many reasons to back up that fact.
Apart from using wood in pallets, other materials like plastic and metal have also been experimented with but it was not as successful. Wood is a naturally existing resource given to us, which means that it has lesser side effects and many great benefits. Wooden pallet industries take the incentive of planting more trees as they consume them to ensure these actions cause no environmental changes being caused because of these actions wooden pallet efficiency.
Is Using Wood in Pallets Actually a Good Idea?
There are many ongoing debates about whether trees should be preserved or should they be used and replanted. Here are some of the reasons why wood can act as a great option for pallet production:
A Sustainable Choice
Sustainability is one of the many factors that need to be considered at all times. Wood is extracted from trees and trees are naturally existing resources. We need to understand that if a natural resource exists, it can be increased in number as well if we take care of that matter. For instance, for the production of plastic pallets, oil is a very common ingredient. Oil is not only scarce, but it is also not environmentally friendly at all. The supply of wood is facing a lot of trouble as many environmentalists think that this rate of consumption of lumber can have an adverse environmental impact. However, if necessary action is taken, we can increase the production of trees while using them for our daily commodities.
Carbon Emissions
In terms of shipping, it can be repurposed in any number of useful ways. It’s also quite simple to refurbish a worn-out wooden pallet. This makes wooden pallets a cost-effective choice with much potential for longevity and sustainability. When synthetic material is rejected in favor of wood, carbon emissions are impacted positively. Wood is less expensive and more durable than plastic, and its carbon footprint makes it the clear eco-friendly option. By reducing costs and carbon emissions, wooden pallets help impact an organization’s carbon footprint and the environment positively.
The Wood Council indicated that 1.1 tons of carbon dioxide are eliminated from the atmosphere for every cubic meter of wood utilized as building materials instead of synthetics. When you combine that amount with the 0.9 tons of carbon dioxide that are already stored in wood, it means that carbon emissions can be reduced by 2 tons per cubic meter of wood building materials. Implementing more wood-based shipping and packing materials could drastically reduce the carbon footprint of most expanding countries.
Eco-Friendliness
Wood is an environmentally friendly building material. Usually, these trees are found on the ground that is drained from sunlight or water. It can be recycled to make paper and mulch areas. Heat treated wood can be reused in the building industry once pallets are worn out and discarded in shipyards as well as in commercial buildings.
Rebuilding Pallets
Similarly, reusing environmentally friendly recyclables means the damaged pallets will be replaced with the same pallets without significant repair. The new system allows the company to cut costs by saving more time and eliminating the waste of materials. Most agricultural businesses use recycled pallets for reliable transport and to reduce costs.
Wood: A Renewable Resource
Wood pallets use sustainable wood sources. Often timber has been cut for use elsewhere, and the resulting material is used for pallets. Pallet wood isn’t found in old trees. In recent years, forest production industries have worked for many years for the sake of sustainable development. In 2020 National Wooden Pallet & Container Association(NWPCA) plans to publish an environmental declaration for wooden pallets. UL certification documents are evidence of the positive environmental impacts of wood pallet construction. 1.7 billion trees are planted every year in US forests each year.
Environmental Product Declaration Certification
The Wooden Pallet and Container Association announced a new Environmental Product Declaration (EPPD) for pallet woods. The NCPCA and the Pallet Foundation alongside the Forest Products Laboratory, a research agency within the Forest Service have prepared it. It was confirmed by UL, the world’s leading EPD-certified third party. In a first step for the supply chain industry, wooden pallets are certified as ecologically sustainable.
Is There Anything Else Better?
Some providers are promoting alternative material options, like metal or corrugated. Nevertheless, each of these will work but each also comes with disadvantages. For instance, the metal pallets are strong, although much heavier. The plastic pallet is sanitary, has a long life cycle, and is expensive. Corrugated pallets are heavier than wood but are less stackable or stronger. The pallet isn’t the only problem. The slip sheet is smaller and cheaper but can hold as much weight as a pallet. These containers provide a perfect solution when a truck can fill every cubic foot of it and can not be easily filled by pallets.
Rethinking Wood Pallets For Shipping and Storage of Goods
Information overload could make it hard to determine the best options when shipping and storing products. Information overload could make you question your option in shipping or storage of the goods. As a general rule, wood pallets have been widely used. But maybe you have heard or read about pallets costing more to transport because of their weight or because the environment suffers.
Some may believe that most timber pallets can be used once or twice before being discarded. It doesn’t seem right. But the thing about wood pallets is that they are reusable. It is not necessary to discard the pallet as a whole. It can be broken down and used in other things. For instance, when wooden pallets are discarded, it is because they can no longer bear the weight of the goods or if they get cracked. That does not necessarily mean that they can not be used. Many people acquire discarded wooden pallets, use a sterilization process on them and use the wood as furniture for their houses.
Commonly Asked Questions
When it comes to the sustainability of wooden pallets, there are many questions people ask. Some of those questions are listed below:
Is it Safe to Use Discarded Wooden Pallets as Furniture?
Yes. It is safe to use discarded wooden pallets as furniture. Although you may not find them in their actual shape or form you can trim the rough edges of the wasted wood and use the remainder for your needs. High-quality wooden pallets are sturdy enough to retain their strength and rigidity even after they undergo heavy loads. Painting pallets also helps sometimes as it puts a protective layer on the surface.
Are There Any Other Eco-Friendly Materials I can Use Instead of Wood?
Wood is a naturally available resource which means it has all the right properties of being eco-friendly. If you use wood in your products like chairs, houses, beds, pallets, etc, then it will prove to be more sustainable and eco-friendly. You can use plastic and metal in your products and yes, they may be stronger and more durable but they won’t be as eco-friendly as wood.
Conclusion
Wood is a naturally renewable resource and we need to understand the importance of that as we continue to use lumber from trees. Although wood is extremely eco-friendly and provides all the qualities we look for in sustainable materials, we also need to consider it our duty to keep this naturally occurring resource in excess. Planting trees is not only great for the environment but it will also eventually help us with our daily needs. Cutting down trees is not all bad. When new trees are planted they bring more freshness to the atmosphere. The pallet industry is highly focused on the occurrences of global warming. Modern materials handling in shipping pallets industries consider the adverse effects of global warming and play their part in making the environment greener and healthier.
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