Tips for Your Agency > Shipping & Receiving

Wooden Pallets and Crates

Here are some ways to cut down on the amount of wooden pallets and crates entering the waste stream:

• Return pallets and crates to vendors for reuse. Specify in contracts that vendors must accept the return of the same number of pallets and crates as delivered.

• If you generate large quantities of pallets, you may wish to manage them through an in-house tracking, repair, and reuse system.

• Identify other organizations that need pallets and crates and set up an exchange program. City Agencies can only exchange items with other City Agencies.

• Join a pallet leasing program. Pallets are marked to identify them as part of the leasing program, and must be returned to their original source after use.

• Establish a wood-pallet and crate recycling program for wooden items that cannot be returned to the vendor or reused in your operations.

• Consider whether or not stretch wrap is necessary on pallet loads. Strapping may work as well, and it generates less waste. Discuss this option with your vendor.

• If you continue to use stretch wrap, identify a vendor that will accept plastic film for recycling. You will need to bale or compact the waste plastic film to vendor specifications.

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