Daily Bulletin

Business Mentor

.

  • Written by News Company


Pallets — they're not something everyday people often give much thought to. But they're an integral part of any business which receives or distributes large quantities of goods. But once the goods have been received or delivered, what happens to all those pallets? Do they go to landfill? Do they get reused? Let's find out.

Why is it important to recycle pallets?

Historically, landfill has been the last stop for wooden and plastic pallets. This creates a one-way flow of resources from the creation of product through to waste in landfill. Now, with the growing urgency of minimising how much industrial waste is produced, frameworks have been established to ensure businesses are correctly disposing of packaging such as pallets, in an environmentally friendly way.

This is known as the 'Extended Producer Responsibility' (EPR). There are no mandated EPR schemes in Australia at the moment, but there are voluntary schemes which include packaging.

Great, but what does this mean?

It means that the environmental responsibility lies with the business producing the product. As a result, many packaging suppliers offer to buy back pallets, and reuse them as part of the industrial ecosystem. When the supplier buys back a pallet, they might:

  • Examine wooden pallets for points of weakness or rotting wood. If the pallet is strong and sturdy, and passes safety regulations, they can sell them on as used pallets.

  • Examine plastic pallets for damage. Any damaged plastic pallets will need to be sent to a plastics recycling company. Once there, they'll be shredded, melted, and extracted for use in new plastic products.

If a wooden pallet is damaged, the company might choose to disassemble it and resell the timber to those looking for timber. Pallet wood is a popular product to use in DIY projects, or for firewood.

What happens to the wood which doesn't get sold?

Any timber which is not fit for resale can be sent to wood chippers and turned to mulch. Mulch is in high demand for large landscaping projects, and even for some home gardeners looking to maximise the health of their plants.

The wood can also be turned into much-needed animal bedding within the agricultural industry. As you can see, there is more than one way in which timber becomes an important keystone in the industrial ecosystem.

How are large quantities of pallets transported?

When pallets are used in the distribution supply chain, they are often wrapped with plastic and shipped via trucks, or via air. But when the receiver is ready to discard the pallets, what happens?

The best way to get rid of large quantities of pallets is to hire a skip bin. Most companies offer a range, from as little as 2 cubic metres for smaller businesses, right up to 23 cubic metres for large-scale industrial manufacturers.

If the packaging supplier follows an EPR scheme, then they may organise how to get the pallets back to their site.

In summary

Many businesses in Australia are doing the best they can to reduce carbon footprints, and minimise waste. It's no lie that industrial distribution chains create shocking amounts of waste. But with a growing pressure from consumers to follow environmentally sustainable processes, the amount of waste being sent to landill has been dramatically reduced.

Lakeba's Administrative AI Mastery: Unlocking Efficiency Across Industries

While startup success rates remain perilously low, venture studios have crafted methodologies stacking probabilities for commercialization through integrated support fine-tuned specifically for scal...

Daily Bulletin - avatar Daily Bulletin

Understanding the Real Cost of a Weighbridge or Truck Scale

Investing in a weighbridge management system makes your business more efficient, effective and compliant with regulations. But there’s more to it than that. So, read on to learn more about the compl...

Daily Bulletin - avatar Daily Bulletin

Scrap Car vs. Salvage Car: What’s the Difference?

Is the car salvage or scrap, isn't it confusing? Well, These terms may sound similar but they’re not –  It's about figuring out where these cars go.  Through this article we will make it clear what...

Daily Bulletin - avatar Daily Bulletin

Choosing the Right Professional Relocating Service In Australia Is a Big Edge

Relocating to a new place is challenging and a big adventure but the part where you have to move all your things can be hard and stressful.  The good news is there's a way to make it easier: you ca...

Daily Bulletin - avatar Daily Bulletin

How Does Personalised Packaging Influence Consumer Behaviour?

In modern commerce, personalised packaging emerges as a crucial element distinguishing brands in a saturated marketplace. This strategy extends beyond conventional packaging methodologies, infusing ...

Daily Bulletin - avatar Daily Bulletin

Ashfords Wealth Exceeds Projections, Setting a New Benchmark in Online Transactions

South Victoria, Australia - Ashfords Wealth, a prominent name in the realm of online financial platforms, has recently achieved remarkable success by surpassing its projected growth targets. This ac...

Daily Bulletin - avatar Daily Bulletin

Tomorrow Business Growth