18 WESTERN PALLET
Penn State Pallet Life Cycle Study
All things considered, wooden pallets are more eco-friendly than plastic pallets, say Penn State researchers in a new, independent paper
Story by Jeff Mulhollem, Penn State University
Chuck Ray, associate professor of ecosystem science and management, inspects a pile of wooden pallets. Photo credit: Penn State
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Weighing in on a debate that has raged for decades, Penn State researchers, after conducting a series of ultra-detailed comparisons, have declared that shipping pallets made of wood are slightly more environmentally friendly and sustainable than those made of plastic.
“Few people realize the significance of this issue — there are about 700 million pallets produced and recycled each year in the United States alone,” said Chuck Ray, associate professor of ecosystem science and management in the College of Agricultural Sciences. “There are 2 billion pallets in use in this country.”