16 WESTERN PALLET
Pass Through Pallets Defined
Labeling the Sustainable Pallet: The USDA BioPreferred Program
by Grace Johnson, Manager, Policy and Public Relations
As an industry member you know that wood pallets are the sustainable choice. By using tools like the Pallet Design System (PDS), you ensure that the pallets you manufacture can move the world safely and sustainably. If you are using PDS, then you are also participating in the USDA BioPreferred® program, and your shipping pallets are 100 percent USDA Certified Biobased products.
The goal of the USDA BioPreferred program is to increase the purchase and use of biobased products, spur economic development, create new jobs, and provide new markets for farm commodities. According to the USDA, a biobased product is composed of biological products including renewable domestic agricultural materials, renewable chemicals, and forestry materials. The increased development, purchase, and use of biobased products increase the use of renewable agricultural resources and contribute to reducing adverse environmental and health impacts.
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from them as IPPC conforming is by having proof the pallets were processed by a facility that is monitored in the IPPC program whether they are purchased from the monitored facility or the monitored facility heat treats and marks the pallets as IPPC conforming for the unmonitored facility.
Recyclers should have a solid knowledge of what signs of repair disqualify a pallet for the "Pass Through" program. These include evidence of previous nailing, differences in components (age, color, size, species),
new nails in components, multiple IPPC marks, presence of plugs, etc. A pallet with any of these characteristics would be disqualified from being considered a "Pass Through".
Understanding what is required for conformance related to the "Pass Thorough" / "Reused" program will help any facility to successfully determine if utilizing it will be profitable for them.
Source: Timber Processing HT Newsletter, February 2021