Your pallet selection has a measurable impact on your supply chain carbon footprint. Here's how to optimize it.
Supply chain emissions are under increasing scrutiny, and companies are looking for every opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint. Pallets — often overlooked — represent a surprisingly significant lever.
The carbon footprint of a new wood pallet is approximately 27 lbs of CO₂, accounting for tree harvesting, lumber milling, transportation, and assembly. A recycled pallet? Near zero marginal emissions, since it's already been manufactured.
Switching from new to recycled pallets can reduce your packaging-related emissions by 60–80%. For a distribution center using 10,000 pallets per year, that's roughly 270,000 lbs (135 tons) of CO₂ avoided annually.
Beyond the pallet itself, consider transportation emissions. Sourcing pallets locally (rather than shipping them hundreds of miles) reduces transit emissions. Our Oakland location means Bay Area businesses can source pallets with minimal transportation impact.
Finally, end-of-life matters. Pallets that go to landfill generate methane as they decompose — a greenhouse gas 80× more potent than CO₂. By recycling with us, you ensure zero pallet waste reaches landfill.