SRS4702 Header Feasibility Program for Recovery and Use of Discarded Pallets


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 Abstract. Studies found that 6.16 million tons of wood pallets entered municipal solid waste (MSW) and construction and demolition (C&D) landfill facilities in 1995. Expressed in pallets this means that over 223.6 million pallets were taken to landfills in 1995. Of these only 37.9 million pallets where recovered to low- or no-value uses at landfills. Pallets should be banned from landfilling and forced to landfill or other recovery operations. Furthermore, economic recovery options are needed in the recovery operations beyond grinding pallets.

We have developed a decision-making tool called PROACT (Pallet Recovery Opportunity Analysis Computer Tool). PROACT, a spreadsheet tool, allows a current or potential pallet recovery operation to construct and determine the feasibility of recovering pallets, pallet parts, and wood for value added products. These are all superior options to the current practice of grinding pallets. PROACT can be used to determine economic feasibility, and provides output that can be used with bankers to help secure loans. Adoption of pallet recovery and recycling simulated in PROACT will decrease our demand for new wood.

A. L. (Tom) Hammett (VA Tech), E. Brad Hager (VA Tech), and Philip A. Araman

 


Accomplishments

  • A decision-making tool called PROACT (Pallet Recovery Opportunity Analysis Computer Tool) has been created
  • Different recovery and recycling options have been developed
  • Several potential implementers are using PROACT and more have requested the program

Current and Future Work

  • A workbook has been written and will be published
  • Other recovery and recycling options using PROACT will be developed

Technology Transfer Efforts

  • We have published 3 papers on this subject with two more in preparation
  • We have made several presentations - mostly to solid waste and recycling groups

 

 

Southern Research Station Forest Service USDA Virginia Tech Department of Wood Science and Forest Products Non-Timber Forest Products
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Last Modified: 06/13/07
Send Comments to Matt Winn: mwinn@fs.fed.us