In the U.S., about 700 million pallets are produced and recycled each year. Around four billion wooden and plastic pallets are currently in use.
Nearly 40 percent of all hardwood produced in the U.S. goes into pallet production.
Penn State researchers wanted to know if wood or plastic pallets were better for the environment, so they studied pallets from cradle-to-grave.
The study looked at nine different factors, from ozone layer depletion and ecotoxicity, to global warming and non-renewable energy.
They found that wooden pallets are more environmentally friendly than plastic pallets.
Molded plastic pallets last longer, but are derived from petroleum or natural gas products, which greatly increases their carbon footprint.
They also found that conventional and RF heat treatment for wooden pallets are more sustainable than methyl bromide fumigation treatment.
Katika Marekani, karibu pallets milioni 700 hutengenezwa na kutumiwa tena kila mwaka. Karibu pallet bilioni nne za mbao na plastiki zinatumiwa kwa sasa. Karibu asilimia 40 ya mbao zote zinazozalishwa nchini Marekani hutumiwa kutengeneza pallet. Watafiti wa Chuo Kikuu cha Penn walitaka kujua ikiwa mbao au pallets za plastiki zilikuwa bora kwa mazingira, kwa hivyo walichunguza pallets kutoka kitanda hadi kaburi. Utafiti huo ulichunguza mambo tisa tofauti, kuanzia uharibifu wa tabaka la ozoni na sumu ya mazingira, hadi ongezeko la joto duniani na nishati isiyoweza kurejeshwa. Waligundua kwamba mabamba ya mbao ni mazuri kwa mazingira kuliko mabamba ya plastiki. Paleti za plastiki zilizofunikwa zinaendelea kwa muda mrefu, lakini zinatokana na bidhaa za petroli au gesi asilia, ambayo huongeza sana alama yao ya kaboni. Utafiti huo pia ulionyesha kuwa matibabu ya joto ya kawaida na ya RF kwa pallets za mbao ni ya kudumu zaidi kuliko matibabu ya fumigation ya methyl bromide.