We’re all trying to be more conscious of our plastic usage these days, at home and in business. And while wooden pallets are a great option from a natural, renewable and reusable resource, they often go hand in hand with plastic wrap.
But there are alternatives, so in this blog we’re going to let you know how your business can ditch the shrink wrap for pallets and switch to a more eco-friendly option.
A Question Of Cost
So, almost all of the options we’ll be presenting in this blog cost more than the go-to option, shrink wrap. Unfortunately being more eco-friendly often comes with a price tag.
But those who know Universal Pallets well will know we love a reusable resource. So when you add reusable into the equation, these options can prove much cheaper in the long run.
In addition, cost savings can be made against the usual shrink wrap problems, such as humidity, disposal and H&S issues from wrapping posture problems. And with many of these solutions offering significant time saving over manual shrink wrapping, your business could gain efficiency as well as long term cost savings.
Reusable Pallet Wraps
Cost: The company claims that the cost of this product compared to shrink wrap can result in a 5-fold saving. A one year supply of shrink wrap vs 5 year supply of Pallet Wrapz.
Positive: Easy to use and quick to apply, taking around 45 seconds to apply. Stronger than 80 gauge stretch film wrapped 10 times, and reusable 800-1200 times depending on the application. 100% recyclable material.
Negative: The product is made in the USA, and while the product will roll up small and be relatively carbon-friendly to ship, it’s still using a lot of carbon to reach your UK operation.
Further information: Take a look at their website here: http://www.palletwrapz.com/
Reusable Pallet Lid and Straps
Cost: They can be used daily for 5 years, so that’s over 1,800 uses before they need to be replaced, cost will depend greatly on the quantity ordered, but be sure to have your figures for stretch wrap cost handy when you consult with them to best understand the cost-saving.
Positive: LoadHog’s pallet lids come with built-in straps to secure your palletised load and help with stacking too. A really simple and effective solution which takes seconds to secure and is highly reusable. They come in a variety of sizes to suit most needs and even have a locking mechanism to keep your pallet load extra secure.
Negative: They’re the bulkiest of the options we’ve selected, you’ll need a place to store them when not in use.
Further information: You can download the Spec Sheet here to see the various options or visit their website to enquire about pricing: http://loadhog.com/product/pallet-lid/
Reusable Pallet Bands
Cost: As these bands are cheap to manufacture they are quickly cost effective in comparison to stretch wrap.
Positive: Areo Pallet Bands are a product made from a natural resource and they’re both recyclable and reusable. Super easy to apply and can be used in a variety of ways depending on the load you’re trying to secure. They are available in a variety of sizes, widths and end uses, be sure to use the right band for the right purpose.
Negative: Being a smaller item they could be more easy to lose around the warehouse, older rubber can become brittle, so be aware of the lifespan of your bands and replace when necessary.
Further information: Download their product brochures here and make further enquiries on their website: http://www.aerorubber.com/brochures/
Pallet Adhesives
Cost: Using pallet adhesives may require some automation or new equipment, be sure to consult the supplier before hand. The adhesive product itself is cost-effective.
Positive: This is a great option for palletised loads that are not neat, uniform boxes. If your product is not readily stackable the strong adhesive makes stacking easy work. In addition, if you have a product that doesn’t stack well, on the receiving end the removal of shrink wrap can mean that products become unstable and may fall, the adhesive keeps them secure. The adhesive itself is a clever product: biodegradable, non-toxic, water-based, and products are easy to pull apart yet secure when stacked on the pallet.
Negative: You’ll need to set this up in an automated system which can be costly at first.
Further information: Find more information on their website: http://pacificadhesives.com/markets/palletizing-adhesive/
Did you know…
That every 10,000 stretch wrap palletised loads results in more than 6,000kg of CO2 to be released into our atmosphere, 5m3 of solid plastic waste produced and uses around 30 barrels of oil? Eliminating shrink wrap is a great way to be more environmentally friendly and it could save you money in the long term.
If you absolutely have to use some shrink wrap, there are still steps you can take to ensure you’re recycling efforts are as effective as possible. Take a look at this article from The Balance, ‘How to Improve Your Shrink Wrap Recycling Program’.