The horizontal grinding industry, recycling, and sustainability go hand in hand. As we’ve discussed in previous Rotochopper blogs, we’re passionate about helping our customers reduce their environmental impact, all while boosting their profits with a valuable secondary product. Today, we’re turning our attention to the pallet industry to discuss the environmental benefits of wooden pallets, as well as how they can help you turn a profit at the end of their lifecycle.
Environmental Benefits of Wooden Pallets
Wooden pallets have earned an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), certifying them as an eco-friendly packing and shipping solution. In addition, a study by Penn State confirmed that wooden pallets have a lower carbon footprint than plastic pallets.
Wooden pallets are created from a renewable resource, and yes, conserving wood and our forests is vitally important to our planet’s future. However, many pallet production companies are taking significant steps to reduce their environmental impact, such as building pallets from softwood lumber rather than hardwood lumber, which take longer to regenerate. Many trees are planted just to be harvested for pallets, so forests can remain untouched. Recycled pallets are also an option, which means little to no new lumber needs to be harvested.
Because they’re a universal staple in the world of shipping and industry, wooden pallets can also be easily reused multiple times, negating the need for new production. Minor breaks in wooden pallets are quick and easy to repair, unlike plastic or metal pallets, further extending their lifespan. Furthermore, when pallets are completely broken and unrepairable, they can be repurposed into eco-friendly materials that can even lead to negative-net carbon emissions.
Financial Benefits of Wooden Pallets
With millions of tons of wood received by landfills each year, recycling wood waste is vital to conserving one of Earth’s most valuable resources. Fortunately, with the right equipment, recycling your wooden pallets can become a venture that not only helps the environment but also boosts your operation’s profits.
Investment in a horizontal grinder from a pallet grinding professional allows you to recycle your broken, unusable pallets into a profitable secondary product. Pallet wood waste is perfect for creating high volumes of mulch, animal bedding, pellet fuel, compost additive, and more. These materials can then be sold directly to consumers or wholesale to other manufacturers, where it may be further processed into things like particleboard or wood flour.
When you’re ready to start recycling your wooden pallets, turn to Rotochopper Inc. For over 30 years, we’ve been helping operations turn a profit with efficient pallet recycling equipment and multi-stage fine grinding systems. Contact one of our expert Rotochopper sales representatives to learn more.