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Pallets & Palletisers ■
Plastic or
The comparative benefits of traditional
wooden pallets and plastic pallets
continues to rage, says Jim Round, who
wood?
puts forward the case for plastic in this
article.
Whether to use wood or plastic pallets has Longhorned beetle, which burrows into trees. when it comes to shipping overseas. They do
long been a debate in the logistics industry. Through importing and exporting, the beetle not require treatment. Often, only the purchase
Both have advantages, depending on the was artificially introduced into other countries price of a pallet is considered. If maintenance
circumstances. Some argue that wood is far in wooden packaging material and with no and transport costs are examined over working
more cost effective. Others say that plastic natural predators in these new environments, life, plastic pallets are much more cost cost-
pallets last longer and cost less to maintain, devastated woodlands around the world. effective. Plastic pallets have become a
making them more economical over their The majority of the main trading countries, practical, realistic, ecnomical choice.
working lives. Whatever your opinion, 2006 such as the UK and the US, are already In terms of hygiene, plastic pallets are far
saw the debate intensify dramatically. enforcing ISPM15. In April this year, Japan easier to clean and do not harbour pests. They
So what happened? Put simply, a short will incorporate it into its requirements for are better in automated systems, do not chip or
supply of wood meant pallet prices rocketed. imported packaging. contain nails, and weigh less. They also help to
Fears of bird-flu spreading to the UK provoked ISPM15 specifies that wooden pallets must conserve valuable wood supplies.
contamination fears, and recent legislation to be treated before international shipping in one The plastic pallets market rapidly expanded
control pest problems meant increased of two ways. The first is heat treatment. This in 2006, as more and more businesses have
production costs for wooden pallets. Plastic involves heating the wood to a core discovered the advantages and opportunities
pallets have come down in real-term price too, temperature of 56°C for a minimum of 30 the product provides. However you view the
making them more economical. The minutes. The second is fumigation, when developments in the pallet market in 2006, the
combination of these issues has put the use of methyl bromide is used to fumigate the wood. plastic pallet is now a very real alternative to
wooden pallets under severe scrutiny. Both these treatments are time consuming and the traditional wooden pallet.
The most worrying issue is the depleting expensive. Plastic pallets do not harbour pests www.schoellerarcasystems.com.
supply of timber. As demand far outweighs like wooden ones. As a
supply, the world’s forests are being felled result, they are exempt
faster than they can growwhich is a major from the ISPM 15
environmental concern. The implications are legislation. They do not
enormous, and thrown the cost advantages of require any expensive DOCK
wood pallets into sharp question. treatments before
2006 saw the bird-flu epidemic escalate, shipping abroad.
with thousands of birds culled to limit the Plastic pallets utilise
HERE FOR-
spread of the disease. As wooden pallets space better in
THE COMPLETE LOADING
cannot be sanitised, they are often discarded warehouses and on
BAY PACKAGE!
after one use, especially if they have been lorries, and weigh up to
transporting meat. This adds to the waste 40% less than wooden
problems, where vast numbers are incinerated ones. Less energy is
and more environmental damage is caused. required to transport
Plastic pallets are easily sanitised by steam them, saving even
cleaning and pressure washing, making them more money. Plastic
hygienic. They can be used repeatedly, with pallets also have a
little chance of contamination. They are longer working life.
HIGH SPEED DOORS INDUSTRIAL DOORS DOCK LEVELLERS
therefore popular with pharmaceutical, food Tim Ansell, MD of
We manufacture the
and beverage companies, which require clean, Schoeller Arca
full range of loading
hygienic, safe transport. The fact that plastic Systems UK, said,
bay equipment and
pallets are immune to moisture, fat, acids, “The technology and
offer free site surveys
and national service.
solvents and chemicals has proven to be highly cost of plastic pallets
advantageous. It is also a factor in the means they are less
expansion of the plastic pallets market. expensive over their
Plastic can be reused more often, is cheaper working life than LOADING BAY DESIGN SCISSOR LIFTS LITERATURE
FREE
to recycle and is not in short supply. wooden ones.”
ISPM15 is an international phytosanitary So what conclusions CALL:01923 208888
measure, first introduced in 2003 to stem the can we draw from all
®
Fax: 01923 208899
spread of pests associated with shipping goods of this? ISPM15
Email: info@saralbs.co.uk
on wooden pallets. Wood is the breeding certainly gives plastic
www.saralbs.co.uk SAFETY FIRST
N3
ground of insects such as the Asian pallets the advantage
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