A Renewable Resource

Canada has 150 million hectares of certified and sustainably managed forests, the largest area of certified forests in the world!
 

These forests act as huge carbon sinks; as trees grow, they absorb CO2 from the atmosphere.

After being cut down, the wood continues to store the carbon dioxide captured during its life. A wood pallet represents roughly 27kg of CO2 absorbed.
 

The Natural Packaging Solution

Despite the common misconception, wood pallets do not contribute to deforestation. Although wood pallets are made from new lumber, these trees are usually cut down to produce building materials, furniture or flooring. Considered less attractive, the leftovers, or “downfall” are then used to make pallets.

Pallets and other wood packaging are intensively recycled and reused throughout the span of their useful life. In addition to basic repair and re use, wood packaging components are reclaimed from unusable products and reintegrated into both new and repaired wood packaging.

At the end of their useful life, most pallets and packaging are repurposed as energy recovery (heating), landscape mulch, animal bedding, soil enhancement, wood particle board or pressed wood pallets.
 

Additional resources:

• Nature’s Packaging Carbon Calculator Tool
• Wood Reuse And Recycling In Canada
• Wood Waste As A Resource