A pallet is the structural foundation of a unit load which allows handling and storage efficiencies. Goods or shipping containers are often placed on a pallet secured with strapping, stretch wrap or shrink wrap and shipped.  While most pallets are wooden, pallets can also be made of plastic, metal, paper, and recycled materials. Each material has advantages and disadvantages relative to the others.

Discarded wooden pallets should not be used for firewood or crafts Discarded wooden pallets should not be used for firewood or crafts unless it has been determined that the wood in these pallets has not been treated with wood preservatives, fungicides and/or pesticides. Various pyrethrins and propiconazole are common treatments for wooden pallets. In addition, imported palletized goods are routinely fumigated with highly toxic pesticides. During use, harmful materials or chemicals also may spill on the pallet wood and be absorbed.

If in doubt, please ask for Paul and your questions will be answered.

It is the responsibility of all companies to ensure that waste is disposed of according to the Environment Agency’s ‘Duty of Care’ regulations. It is your responsibility to check the person or company who disposes of your waste is registered, if you fail to do this you could face a fine of up to £50,000.

The testing of 70 wood pallets and 70 plastic pallets that had been loaded with perishable products and shipped to an end user was shipped overnight to an independent microbiology lab for testing. The results came back with 10 percent of the wood pallets positive for E. coli and 1.4 percent positive on the plastic pallets!