How to manage industrial waste by recycling wooden pallets
Industrial waste is defined as any waste derived from a commercial activity, and the city of London has been set a challenging target to recycle 65% of its waste by 2030 [1]. London’s recycling rate was recorded as 33.5% in 2021 [2] and expected to rise to circa 40% by 2022. However, this is still a long way off the target set so more needs to be done in order to support waste collection in London with this ambitious target.
What Can Be Recycled?
We are all familiar with separating out paper, cardboard, plastic bottles and pots, glass, metal and food waste in our daily lives but one item that can very easily be recycled is often overlooked by businesses. This item is the humble wooden or plastic pallet.
Businesses are encouraged to reuse or recycle as much of their waste as possible and pallets can often be reused many times before they are no longer considered fit for purpose, at which point they should be recycled. The only exception to this rule is wooden pallets that have been treated to protect against biohazards or pests as these may not be recyclable and will have to be disposed of in an alternative manner.
How You Can Recycle Your Pallets
Pallets cannot be recycled via your standard waste collection in London and have to be collected by an approved waste carrier [3] who will ensure that your unwanted pallets are processed via the correct channels to minimise their environmental impact.
Your chosen waste carrier will be able to advise as to which pallets they will be able to submit for recycling and which will have to be disposed of in another way, due to chemical treatments or for other reasons.
How Pallets Are Recycled
Plastic pallets are generally recycled by grinding them down into plastic granules which are heated and injected into a mould and pressure treated to create a new pallet. This form of recycling takes a useful product that is damaged or otherwise no longer usable, and returns it to a usable state.
Wooden pallets, however cannot be re-made so unless they can be easily reconditioned, they are generally shredded and used as chipboard for furniture manufacture, or disposed of via biomass where they are used, often in power stations, to generate heat and electricity. This again delivers an important service to London and the rest of the country.
Wooden pallets can also be mulched to use for landscaping purposes, pulped for paper production, or even reused as building material.
Benefits Of Recycling Pallets
Not only does recycling your business’ unwanted pallets reduce the burden on landfill waste collection in London, but it also supports the city in achieving its environmental targets, contributes to your own business’ recycling targets and is a recognised way of helping to cut your carbon footprint. You can even make money from your unwanted pallets as many individuals or businesses will buy them to upcycle or recycle.
Alternatives To Recycling
The best alternative to recycling your unwanted pallets is upcycling. Many individuals and organisations enjoy creating new items from broken and unwanted pallets and the possibilities for creating new items are endless. From shoe racks to garden seating, pallets that are no longer sturdy enough to transport heavy items can still be very useful and often pallet-based items can be sold to others for use, generating further profits.
Clean pallet wood can also be chopped to use as kindling but only if it has not been chemically treated as the smoke generated could be toxic. Always look for a stamp on your pallets if you are planning to use them for kindling – HT stands for Heat Treated and these are OK to use for kindling wood. If, however, the pallet is stamped MB then it must not be used for this purpose as it will have been treated with methane bromide, which is harmful to human health when burned.
Pallet Waste Collection In London – A Summary
Disposing of your business’ waste in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way is a conscious decision which offers considerable benefits for your company and your city. Reusing pallets can save money but when they can no longer be reused, recycling is an easy and sensible choice.