Many solutions have been explored over the years to find environmentally sound ways of producing industrial pallets. But the traditional wooden pallets are under scrutiny from vehicle and fleet owners because of the many problems they present on the road.

The ‘what’s greener’ debate

For the uninitiated, almost every product you purchase today in any type of store was probably at one time transported on a pallet. Pallets are typically square, flat structures on which products are stacked for transportation. The pallets make it easier for machines to lift the products all in one bundle. Most pallets are made of wood, but they can also be made of plastic or metal. Given that the road transport industry alone is responsible for 18% of global carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions and that South Africa is highly dependent on road transport –well over 80% of freight in the country is moved by road – vehicle and fleet owners can expect that many ‘green’ regulations will affect, if not target, the transport industry.

In line with the South African government’s instruction for companies to find environmentally friendlier solutions to reduce their carbon footprint, ExtruWood manufactures custom-built plastic pallets that offer vehicle and fleet owners a triple bottom line of environmental compliance in supporting recycling, assisting in the preservation of South Africa’s dwindling wood reserves and perhaps most importantly, massive cost savings over the longer term due to the durability of the product.

A number of factors come into play when comparing plastic to wooden pallets. Plastic pallets are 100% recyclable. This means if a plastic pallet becomes damaged, it can simply be reworked and remanufactured into a new pallet without the need for new resources or unnecessary waste. In theory, plastic pallets need never end up in the landfill that it originated from as plastic bottle caps and other high-density polyethylene containers. Conversely, wooden pallets have a much shorter life span, they damage and warp easily, and the production puts immense pressure on our country’s wood reserves. It is estimated that within the next two to three years, South Africa will become a net exporter of wood – to the tune of 6 000 t annually.

Most wooden pallets must be replaced or repaired after limited use and millions of trees are felled each year for pallet production. Most of these pallets end up in landfills, are burnt or become scrap litter. Plastic pallets are easily sanitised, have high odour resistance, a much longer service life span and durability, and offer enhanced product protection, thus saving on transportation, pilferage and labour costs, and making them safer and ‘greener’. Wooden pallets are susceptible to bacterial and chemical contamination, rendering them unreliable for fleet companies transporting food and other sensitive product lines. Heat treatment of wooden pallets, required to prevent the transfer of plant pests from one country to another, adds to the burden of CO₂ emissions.

“It is no longer necessary to constantly repair and replace wooden pallets that are easily damaged,” says Kamal Diaite, business manager at ExtruWood. “ExtruWood pallets have been designed to meet exacting demands of logistics and warehouse operators, not to mention toughness and durability. They do not deteriorate in any weather conditions and are ideal for cold storage situations, especially for food items.” The pallets are also tailor-made, come with comprehensive guarantees and can drastically reduce the size of any pallet pool.

Timber Plastics is another example with the company converting plastic waste into an environmentally friendly product, including pallets. The products are made from a wide variety of plastics, which enables the company to convert large tonnage of plastic waste. Timber Plastics currently recycles the equivalent of 37 800 000 plastic bags per month or 2 268 000 two-litre cooldrink bottles.

Plastic pallets such as these provide the added benefit of being eco-friendly as they are made from 100% recycled plastics that would otherwise have been part of the waste stream. The pallets are by default a net contributor to carbon emission savings, reducing the user’s footprint.