Grinding 10 typical junk pallets to a typical landscape mulch specification produces approximately one cubic yard (.9 cubic meters) of landscape mulch.
Pallet Sizes and Styles
A typical pallet in the USA is 48 inches by 40 inches, consisting of deckboards and stringers (see inset image and caption). Other pallets may vary slightly in size and style, but taken as a whole, they would average out to be similar in mass, and they would produce similar volumes of mulch.
Mulch Particles Sizes
Consumer preferences vary by region. For example, consumers in the Northeastern USA tend to prefer finer mulch than the mulch predominately sold in the Midwest. A particle size of 1 ¼ inches (32 mm) minus is common in the Northeast. By contrast, mulch specifications in the Midwest range as high as 2 ½ inch (64 mm) minus, as the larger particles are less prone to displacement from the strong Midwestern winds.
Yet, even though particle size can affect the volume of mulch produced, screen size will not dramatically alter the volume of mulch produced from 10 pallets.
A typical 53 foot or 48 foot van trailer will hold over 400 junk pallets, which will become over 40 yards of landscape mulch with the right wood grinder and over 500 retail mulch bags with the right bagging system.
Premium End Products
Best of all, pallet waste is one of the most versatile forms of wood waste, allowing pallet recyclers to make several premium fiber products. With the right fine grinding system, 10 junk pallets can become approximately 350 pounds of animal bedding, another premium fiber commodity. Junk pallets are also frequently converted to biomass fuel.
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If you have junk pallets, what are you doing with them? How can we help? Contact us today to start the conversation.