How the Wooden Pallet Industry is Committed to Sustainability

These days, many companies worldwide are looking at how to become more sustainable or replace old, wasteful practices with newer, more sustainable practices. The reason many industries are looking into sustainability practices is that their customer base is putting magnifying glasses onto them. More and more people are interested in, and paying more attention to, the idea of sustainability and supporting companies that are transparent with their carbon footprints.

If industries and companies are hoping to continue doing business in the foreseeable future, they need to take the time to do a sustainability audit on themselves. The wooden pallet industry is no exception.

A Sustainable Choice

Wooden pallets are already a sustainable product by nature. Many consumers are misinformed when it comes to where wooden pallets are sourced and how they are treated. The production of wooden pallets uses lower grade wood and the pallets get reused many times before the end of their life. Wooden pallets are then shredded for mulch, bedding, and much more.

In fact, wooden pallets can be further broken down into other products to provide more use in the long run. For example, they can be broken down into mulch, particleboard, or animal bedding. Wooden pallets are also biodegradable, so even at the end of a wooden pallet’s life, it can be broken down into compost to provide nutrients back to the soil. Because wooden pallets are not treated with any toxic chemicals they pose no risk of toxic leaching and can be used for agricultural purposes. This means that wooden pallets are certified zero waste products. This also means that wooden pallets have 100% landfill avoidance.

Wooden pallets are treated with high heat before they are used to importing or exporting products worldwide. This is done to ensure that pests or invasive species do not spread from country to country, causing irreversible damage to local fauna and wildlife. The wooden pallet industry works alongside environmental and governmental agencies in order to ensure their compliance with rules and regulations regarding the environment. In North America, the wooden pallet industry also supports the ongoing protection and research about the protection of our natural forests.

The new challenge facing the wooden pallets industry is making their products more lightweight. Heavier objects have heavier carbon footprints because of transportation costs and fuel requirements.

There may be redesigns in the future of wooden pallets, but for now, they are one of the most sustainable choices when it comes to the packaging and transportation of goods. Especially next to those that are not as readily recyclable or easily broken down like plastic or metal materials. Wooden pallets are biodegradable, recyclable, renewable, and, therefore, sustainable.

Here at H & H Wood Products, we are dedicated to sustainable practices when providing products such as wooden boxes, skids, display racks, and Wood Pallets in the Windsor, Chatham-Kent, London areas, and beyond. We are motivated to use our highest standards to create a healthy and safe environment for our employees, customers, suppliers, and visitors.