Environmental Concerns in the Design and Management of Pallets

Abstract : Planning for sustainable reindustrialization necessitates considerations for environmentally sustainable production processes, packaging and logistics. Pallets are essential for the movement of goods around the world. Millions of pallets enter the global supply chain every year and are used, reused and either discarded or recycled. Since billions of pallets of different types are in use at any time, minimization of overall environmental impacts can be achieved only through process improvements and careful consideration of pallet types for various activities. The paper reviews the current management practices with respect to pallets and identifies issues in different points of the life cycle.