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Wooden and Plastic Pallets: A Review of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Studies

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  • Ivan Deviatkin

    (Department of Sustainability Science, School of Energy Systems, Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT, 53850 Lappeenranta, Finland)

  • Musharof Khan

    (Department of Sustainability Science, School of Energy Systems, Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT, 53850 Lappeenranta, Finland)

  • Elizabeth Ernst

    (Future Sustainable foods Research Group, Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Helsinki University, 00100 Helsinki, Finland)

  • Mika Horttanainen

    (Department of Sustainability Science, School of Energy Systems, Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT, 53850 Lappeenranta, Finland)

Abstract

Pallets are the tiny cogs in the machine that drive transportation in the global economy. The profusion of pallets in today’s supply chain warrants the investigation and discussion of their respective environmental impacts. This paper reviews the life cycle assessment studies analyzing the environmental impacts of pallets with the intent of providing insights into the methodological choices made, as well as compiling the inventory data from the studies reviewed. The study is a meta-analysis of eleven scientific articles, two conference articles, two peer-reviewed reports, and one thesis. The review was implemented to identify the key methodological choices made in those studies, such as their goals, functional units, system boundaries, inventory data, life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) procedures, and results. The 16 studies reviewed cumulatively analyzed 43 pallets. Mostly pooled ( n = 22/43), block-type ( n = 13/43), and wooden ( n = 32/43) pallets with dimensions of 1219 mm × 1016 mm or 48 in. × 40 in. ( n = 15/43) were studied. Most of the studies represented pallet markets in the United States ( n = 9/16). Load-based (e.g., 1000 kg of products delivered), trip-based (e.g., 1000 trips), and pallet-based (e.g., one pallet) functional units were declared. A trip-based functional unit seems the most appropriate for accounting of the function of the pallets, as its purpose is to carry goods and facilitate the transportation of cargo. A significant amount of primary inventory data on the production and repair of wooden and plastic pallets are available, yet there are significant variations in the data. Data on pallets made of wood–polymer composites was largely missing.

Suggested Citation

  • Ivan Deviatkin & Musharof Khan & Elizabeth Ernst & Mika Horttanainen, 2019. "Wooden and Plastic Pallets: A Review of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Studies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-17, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:20:p:5750-:d:277437
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jonghun Park & Laszlo Horvath & Robert J. Bush, 2018. "Life Cycle Inventory Analysis of the Wood Pallet Repair Process in the United States," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 22(5), pages 1117-1126, October.
    2. Roy, Debjit & Carrano, Andres L. & Pazour, Jennifer A. & Gupta, Akash, 2016. "Cost-effective pallet management strategies," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 358-371.
    3. David Moher & Alessandro Liberati & Jennifer Tetzlaff & Douglas G Altman & The PRISMA Group, 2009. "Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: The PRISMA Statement," PLOS Medicine, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(7), pages 1-6, July.
    4. A. Mazeika Bilbao & A.L. Carrano & M. Hewitt & B.K. Thorn, 2011. "On the environmental impacts of pallet management operations," Management Research Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 34(11), pages 1222-1236, October.
    5. Carrano, Andres L. & Pazour, Jennifer A. & Roy, Debjit & Thorn, Brian K., 2015. "Selection of pallet management strategies based on carbon emissions impact," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 258-270.
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    Cited by:

    1. Fabiana Tornese & Maria Grazia Gnoni & Brian K. Thorn & Andres L. Carrano & Jennifer A. Pazour, 2021. "Management and Logistics of Returnable Transport Items: A Review Analysis on the Pallet Supply Chain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-23, November.
    2. Mariia Kozlova & Julian Scott Yeomans, 2022. "Monte Carlo Enhancement via Simulation Decomposition: A “Must-Have” Inclusion for Many Disciplines," INFORMS Transactions on Education, INFORMS, vol. 22(3), pages 147-159, May.
    3. Deviatkin, Ivan & Kozlova, Mariia & Yeomans, Julian Scott, 2021. "Simulation decomposition for environmental sustainability: Enhanced decision-making in carbon footprint analysis," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    4. Dowan Kim & Joungdae Kim & Chaegun Phae, 2023. "Analysis of Lifespan of Plastic Pallets and Containers in Korea Using Probability Density Function (PDF)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-11, May.
    5. Mariusz Jedlinski & Mariusz Sowa, 2021. "The Concept of the “Reverse Iceberg-RIB” in the Application of Account of Total Cost of Ownership for a Reusable Wooden Flat Pallet in its Operating Phase," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(4), pages 199-210.

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