Materials in Plastic Pallets
What Material is used for Plastic Pallets?
Wondering about the material used for manufacturing plastic pallets?
You may want to flip that question around and ask, what plastic material does my pallet application need? That's because plastic pallets can be made from a variety (and blends) of different materials to support specific environments.
This post is part 3 of a 10-post series on Plastic Pallets 101. (Part 2 is all about plastic pallet functions and designs.)
These popular plastic pallet materials (and others) provide unique properties for specific job requirements.
Plastic Pallet Materials
Pallet materials are often divided into two broad categories:
- Recycled
Recycled plastic made from a blend of post-industrial materials will cost less AND can play a big part in your company's sustainability efforts. - Virgin
Virgin plastics are unblended resins often reserved for specialty applications. Yes, they come with a higher price tag. BUT... factor in longer-term reusability and not only will the CFO be happy, the virgin material qualifies as an environmentally-friendly choice.
How do I choose a Plastic Pallet Material?
Let's get back to our earlier point of selecting a material based on how you'll use the plastic pallet:
- Export
Look for ACM or PO. Short for advanced composite material, ACM is 100% recycled. ACM is comprised of certain polyolefins (PO), the most widely used type of plastic. This material has a low price point but also a lower lifespan making them a popular choice for when you don't expect to get the pallet back. - Warehouse
Ask for HDPE or high density polyethylene. HDPE (sometimes called just PE) is the most common resin in plastic pallets. This material has all the properties most standard applications demand: durability, stiffness and moisture resistance. HDPE is a great choice for the demanding and repeated use found in warehouses. - Unsupported Racking
Your best choice is HDPP (high density polypropylene) which is often simply identified as PP. PP holds up well to heat and harsh chemicals. It has properties similar to PE but PP is more rigid, making it an excellent choice for racking when no center support is available. - FDA or Pharma
Plastic pallets made from recycled materials often satisfy general FDA requirements for food and pharmaceuticals: easy to clean, non-toxic and in good repair. If your product is making direct contact with the pallet, you may need to limit your search to a non-blended HDPE virgin material to meet stricter federal requirements for sanitizing and more. - Freezer
Most plastic materials can survive freezing temps, but deep freeze applications can make some materials brittle. Start your search with unblended HDPE or LDPE or hit us up to ask, when do I need true freezer grade plastic pallets?
Plastic Pallet Materials as a Sustainable Choice
Along with the popular materials noted above, molders are experimenting with all sorts of recycled plastic blends with a goal of keeping physical properties solid while saving cost. Because plastic pallets can be made from recycled material and are eminently recyclable, they can play a big part in your company's sustainability efforts. And, as a reminder, even virgin materials can meet sustainability goals due to long-term usability.
Have a question about which plastic pallet material you should choose? Let's connect down below. Also, be sure to catch our quick Plastic Pallets 101 Video. In just 10 short minutes, we introduce you to even more basics about choosing plastic pallets.
3/9/2023 by Hartson Poland on Plastic Pallets 101