What are the disadvantages of plastic pallets?

In the days of yore, shipping was done via what we now consider to be pallets made out of wood. On the other hand, plastic pallets started to become more of a trend. There are lots of pros to plastic pallets, but you should know about some cons as well. L Stick around for more on the topic! 

Plastic Pallets and Its Significance

Plastic pallets are made of plastic materials, which enables them to come in different sizes and shapes. They are extremely versatile, easy to adjust upon and lightweight. Additionally, they very easy to clean and can be used over and again. 

However, the one disadvantage with plastic pallets is a huge devastating environmental factor. Once made, they have a very long persistence and are not biodegradable. In addition, the production of plastic pallets requires more energy than wood, which leads to additional pollution and greenhouse gases. 

Short Life-span of Plastic Pallets

A disadvantage of plastic pallets is their durability but current versions are slowly closing the gap on wooden ones. In time plastic pallets can become brittle and crack forcing you to swap out damaged merchandise. They can easily be repaired unlike a broken plastic pallet that is almost impossible to repair and as such are disposable. As a result, used plastic pallets often end up in landfills rather than being recycled. 

Understanding the Risks

Plastic Pallets - The Dangers of What You Put + How They Are Made Important Note: If a wood pallet breaks, your material falls to the ground and that is all... not so with plastic if it breaks, YOUR STUFF FALLS AND WILL BE HEAVY OR SHARP! Furthermore, plastic pallets are slippery and become risk-full if wet or contaminated with such substances as oily liquids which could lead to incidents that in turn cause accidents and injuries. 

Why the Traditional Pick Remains a Favorite

Plastic pallets offer added benefits compared to wooden but the majority of companies continue using wood. There are numerous reasons that justify this choice. For start, wooden pallets are produced at a cheaper rate compared to the other plastic ones and can be quickly fixed in case any error found Wooden pallets are also more sustainable than plastic versions because they come from a renewable source and decompose naturally. Furthermore, wood pallets are recyclable which adds to the sustainability part. 

In the end, plastic pallets are more beneficial than wooden ones whereas they also have some significant disadvantages. Wood Pallets: Wooden pallet has been a favorite choice for years in the packaging industry because of its non-biodegradable form, short life span and some risks could occur while handling but then it is easy to handle as well hence more expensive on production. While choosing an appropriate palette option, it is also much important to think about the environmental repercussions as well as safety concerns of people in its periphery.