Did you know around 45 million pallets are made each year in the UK ? Pallets are a valuable resource, used for securely transporting the goods we use. And, after serving their primary purpose, many pallets end up being discarded and can contribute to landfill waste. Fortunately, there are many ways to re-use and recycle pallets, which can benefit both the environment, human health and your wallet.
Re-using pallets not only reduces the environmental impact because of fewer trees being cut down but also benefits human health in terms of increased oxygen levels,
Last year alone we delivered approximately 20,000 pallets, but how can such a high impact industry that collects and delivers and transports pallets daily reduce its carbon impact?
For us, reducing our impact on the environment is key across all our services and pallet deliveries are no different!
We share our top planet-saving tips for keeping pallet collections and deliveries more eco-friendly:
Donating to community re-use projects
We donate pallets to our neighbours at Bicester Green (a social enterprise that carries out practical activities which divert goods from the waste stream that would otherwise go to landfill). In the last 12 months they have diverted 10 tonnes of waste destined for disposal!
From bird and hedgehog houses to bat boxes, the volunteers at Bicester Green make these fantastic products out of the pallets. The items are available to buy in their new Bicester Green shop which also sells refill items and a range of sustainable products.
More efficient pallet wrapping
Darcica was recently awarded grant funding for a power stretch pallet wrapping machine through the OxLEP Business Investment fund. Not only did the machine help us move away from black plastic wrap, pre-stretching the film can reduce the amount of film used by 40%. We were able to demonstrate that our ‘greening logistics’ project would improve efficiency, productivity and reduce carbon impact by using less plastic.
“Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership is pleased to have supported such an amazing organisation operating within Oxfordshire. We hope the funds go someway to helping the business develop and grow.”
Helen Brind, Growth Hub Manager.
Re-using pallets at source
Wherever possible we re-use our pallets for new collections and deliveries. We’ve also come up with a few ingenious ideas for re-using redundant pallets at our Bicester site which include:
Our pallet workbench where we prepare all our e-commerce fulfilment orders for clients such as caseco, Sky Wave Gin and Jammie Doodles. And a wonderful handcrafted shelf for our recent awards and certificates from Diamond Logistics, OXBA and Cherwell Business Awards.
Zero-emission pallet deliveries
Darcica was the first Palletways member (out of 150 across the UK) to invest in an electric pallet delivery vehicle, in fact the first electric vehicle of it's kind in the UK to offer zero-emission pallet deliveries. With a significant increase in online orders and an associated increase in delivery vehicles on the road, electric vehicles are the perfect fit for deliveries in towns and cities.
What we can't re-use we recycle
For any pallets that are beyond repair and can’t be re-used we have them collected by local recycling company, Grundon Waste Management to be recycled into chipboard or used as biomass. Recycling pallets reduces the amount of waste in landfills and conserves resources by using them to create new products.
Whether it’s re-using them for pallet collections and deliveries, or turning them into garden furniture and useful products, pallets are an eco-friendly and cost-effective solution. So next time you see a pile of discarded pallets, remember that they can be more than just rubbish - they can be a source of inspiration and creativity.
For more information on our pallet collections and deliveries please contact us
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