Wooden Pallets: Your Eco-friendlier Choice

As a leading pallets supplier based in Sydney’s west, we try
and adopt more sustainable packaging solutions for our customers across the
country. When we consider all factors, we definitely look at wooden pallets as
an eco-friendlier choice than plastic pallets.

Following the world’s latest researched with debates weighing
in-depth comparisons, we can confidently confirm that shipping wooden pallets
are considered eco-friendlier and more sustainable than plastic pallets.

With millions of pallets produced and recycled each year in
Australia, it’s important to realise how significant the impact of either
pallets on the environment and Australian ecosystem.

When comparing the performance of timber pallets and plastic pallets based on many researches throughout the years, when subjected to a detailed assessment including a full analysis of treatments (chemical or heat) to kill pests and make these pallets approved and ready for export. These treatments also have a huge impact on the environment, as well as the emissions released by wooden and plastic pallets throughout their lifespans.

One of the studies that we strongly believe makes a huge
statement looked at the environmental impacts of the pallets when compared on a
one-trip basis and 100,000-trips basis, under nine impact categories chosen by
researchers because of their environmental relevance.

The categories used in the researched included the influence
on ozone layer depletion, respiratory organics, aquatic ecotoxicity,
terrestrial ecotoxicity, land occupation, aquatic acidification, aquatic
eutrophication, global warming and non-renewable energy. The conclusion of the
research shows that whether on a one-trip basis or a 100,000, timber pallets
have less overall carbon footprint than plastic pallets, with the significance
increasing as the number of trips increase.

Heat treated pallets, usually used as export pallets, have
less negative impact on the environment that chemically treated pallets by
about 25%. Chemical treatment is usually performed through methyl bromide
fumigation, which plays a huge factor in depleting the Earth’s ozone layer.

While quality plastic pallets usually have a much longer
life cycle than standard timber pallets, since they can be used may times and
are usually not broken or damaged easily as they are made of sturdy, hardened
material and are built to last longer and reused, they still have a high carbon
foot print since they are typically derived from petroleum or natural gas
products.

In Australia, and globally, there are many current concerns
about climate change, which also involved the resources consumed to produce
millions of pallets. At Cooperage Pallets, we keep abreast of the latest
studies and work on assessing the carbon footprint of the various raw materials
we use to produce either wooden or plastic pallets to ensure they are
ecologically acceptable.

Our role is not simply to be part of the pallets manufacturing and production industry, we have gained a special appreciation to produce environmentally friendly pallets and minimise the impact on the environment. If you need to order custom pallets that are environmentally superior, talk to the team at Cooperage Pallets today.