Plastic pallets are becoming more common due to their advantages over wood, including lighter weight, environmental friendliness, and exemption from international shipping regulations. They are resistant to insects, bacteria, and water, and can be made from recycled materials.
Traditionally made from wood or wood products, pallets are a versatile packaging material commonly used to transport goods from manufacturing to distributor. As environmental concerns and international trade increase, plastic pallets are becoming more common. These products have many advantages over wood, including lighter weight with no reduction in load capacity, greater environmental friendliness, and exemption from ISPM 15 and IPPC regulations enforced on wood packaging used in international shipping.
Plastic pallets are made of strong yet lightweight plastic material, which significantly reduces shipping costs, especially air freight. These come in a variety of designs and sizes and weight load options can range from 1200 lbs. (544 kg) to over 7700 lbs (3493 kg). Electronic equipment is very sensitive to static electricity and wooden pallets have been a safe option because the nails in the wood cause the static electricity to dissipate into the ground. Plastic may be more susceptible to static electricity, but plastic pallets designated for electronic transfer have been treated with an anti-static material that alleviates this problem.
In an effort to reduce invasive, non-indigenous insect infestations, the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) has passed a United Nations treaty signed by 115 companies that regulates wood packaging materials used for international shipments. This document requires that all wood packaging material be treated by one of two methods, heat treatment or fumigation. It can be heat treated to achieve a minimum internal temperature of 132.8°F (58°C) for a minimum of 30 minutes, or it can be treated by fumigation with methyl bromide (MB).
The European Union (EU) adopted a similar measure called International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures #15, or ISPM 15, which mirrored the IPPC. There have recently been changes to EU rules requiring all wood used in shipping materials to be debarked. Originally, Canada and the United States exempted each other from compliance as long as the packaging was made from native hardwoods, but that exemption was rescinded due to growing concerns about invasive insect infestations.
Plastic pallets are resistant to bacteria, insects and mold and are exempt from IPPC and ISPM 15 requirements. When using wood, a shipper not only needs to worry about compliance, but also needs to ensure that the pallets are marked for compliance according to the methods dictated by the country of destination. The standards do not specify harmonized markings, so these can vary greatly from country to country. Wooden packaging can be delayed at port while customs officials confirm compliance, but such a delay will not occur with plastic pallets.
In addition to being insect resistant, plastic is water resistant and impervious to acids, greases, solvents and odors. They can be thermoformed, rotary or injection molded. Many plastic pallets are actually made from recycled materials and are fully recyclable once they’re no longer needed. In the past, rehabilitated used wooden pallets were the least expensive option for one-way shipping, although their strength was sometimes compromised from their previous use. As wood supplies become more difficult to obtain, inexpensive models of plastic pallets have become available to fill this need.
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