Words by Smiley Team
The race to zero carbon is on – and the UK construction industry has ambitious targets to hit.
Did you know the construction industry is the UK’s largest user of natural resources and produces around 100 million tonnes of waste each year? Every year, more than 18 million pallets are manufactured and distributed through the industry – but less than 10% are reused.
That’s where the Pallet Loop comes in – a business launched in 2021 with the backing of some of the biggest names in the construction business. The Pallet Loop is a circular economy, pallet reuse scheme that’s on a mission to eliminate avoidable pallet waste in the UK construction sector.
"Each year, around 18 million pallets are used by UK construction to transport building materials," a spokesperson tells Smiley News. "Estimates suggest that less than 10 per cent of these pallets are recovered and reused.
(Read more about the Big Climate Fightback)
Approximately 6,000 acres of forestry is harvested every year to create single use pallets for the UK construction industry – and 236,000 acres of trees are grown at any one time to cater for future demand. "This linear model is clearly unsustainable and out of kilter with the UK’s carbon net zero targets," they say.
“Different by design, the Pallet Loop is aiming to replace a significant quantity of the circa 18 million single use pallets currently used in the UK construction industry each year. It's providing reusable, multi-use, distinctive green pallets that are engineered to last and can make numerous trips through the construction industry supply chain.”
(Read more about how tree planting can offset emissions from recycling)
They estimate that widespread use of the Pallet Loop could repurpose around 5000 acres of forestry every year – removing a quarter of a million tons of wood waste from the UK construction supply chain.
These pallets will be distributed to building materials manufacturers, who can use them to transport products to builders’ merchants and construction sites nationwide.
Building material manufacturers will pay a deposit per pallet (along with a separate issue fee that the manufacturer absorbs in much the same way they do today with a packaging charge) to The Pallet Loop. And, as the pallets move through the supply chain, the deposit will pass from manufacturer to merchant to end user.
Once materials reach their final destination, pallets can be stacked and stored ready for collection by, which has a dedicated recovery infrastructure in place. Pallet collection is simple and users will be able to book a pick up slot by phone, online or via an app.
Sounds pretty simple – and a great way to instil the circular economy within the construction industry.
READ MORE: The Pallet Loop is on a mission to transform the way building materials move throughout the construction industry, and you can find out more on their website.
HELP TREE PLANTING: These companies plant trees for every product you buy – why not use them instead of your mainstream brands?
DONATE: Are you keen to support our move to a zero carbon world? Donate to the charity Zero Carbon, who is pushing that mission forward.
