Controlling mold on wood Pallets

Abstract

THE WOOD PALLET AND CONTAINER INDUSTRY CONSUMES 4.5 billion board feet (BBF) of hardwoods and 1.8 BBF of softwoods for the annual production of 400-500 million solid wood pallets. While alternative materials such as plastic, corrugated paperboard and metal have entered the market, solid wood remains the material of choice for a majority of pallets on the market (more than 95 percent). Advantages of using solid wood for pallets are numerous. Solid wood pallets are stronger and more durable than alternative materials. They have superior rigidity for long-term storage applications, low initial fabrication costs and subsequent repair costs, are readily available, safe, functional, clean and are available in custom sizes for specialty commodities. A major cause of user dissatisfaction, however, is vulnerability of wood pallets to mold.

Citation

Clausen, Carol A. 2012. Controlling mold on wood pallets. In: PalletCentral, October 2012 pp. 24-27; 2012