The Right Way to Break Down and Dispose of a Pallet

It’s easier to run a business with pallets, especially when dealing with heavy goods. Shipping and storing goods require utmost care, and pallets play a vital role in ensuring the goods stay protected. Therefore, it’s no coincidence that you might have a stack or stacks of them in your business’s warehouse or storage room. 

So, what can you do with such pallets? 

You have several options for pallet removal, especially if you’re in Melbourne. You can sell, recycle, or donate. Here are more details on how to break down and dispose of a pallet. 

How to Break Down a Pallet the Right Way

Whether your pallets are old or worn out, dismantling them the right way is essential. It leaves you with whole wood planks that you can reuse. It is especially crucial when they are slightly used since the wood is as good as new. 

When dealing with a high number of pallets, you’ll need a qualified team to dismantle them, making the work faster and helping you preserve the wood. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide on the right way to break down the pallets.

Requirements 

• Reciprocating saw
• Bi-metal blade
• Hammer 
• Safety items, including eye protection and gloves

The Procedure 

1. Assemble the reciprocating saw by installing the bi-metal blade and ensuring it’s secure. Ideally, this blade should be 12 inches. Avoid using the normal blade with the saw since the nails can break it.  

2. Place the pallet vertically (upright) so the nails are parallel to the ground. You can support it by clamping it to the ground. 

3. Wear gloves and goggles to protect your eyes and hands. You can also use earplugs to cancel the noise. 

4. Start the reciprocating saw/Sawzall and cut the nails on the vertical slat until all horizontal slats are cut. It would be best if you cut in a top-down direction.

5. Proceed to the other side and cut all horizontal slats. Once you cut both sides of each slat, remove them and proceed to the centre slat. Cut on both sides, allowing the horizontal slats to fall off.

6. Use the hammer to pull out the remaining nail pieces.

Other methods, such as using a hacksaw and hammer or an old plank, are also suitable but not ideal for commercial purposes since they’re time-consuming.

The Right Ways to Dispose of Pallets

Whether you want to replace your old pallets or create space for new stock, ensure you dispose of them the right way. Improper disposal is harmful to the environment since wood isn’t easily degradable. Besides, the pallets can fetch you some good money, especially if they’re in good condition. Some ways you can dispose of them include:

1. Reuse 

Unless your business needs new pallets, you can always reuse the old ones. It’s cheaper to repair them by changing the broken wood to enhance their lifespan. You can also have them refurbished into storage boxes. 

2. Selling

Selling is one of the best ways to dispose of your pallets. You can sell to pallet recycling companies that repair and resell to other companies. You can also sell to scrap pallet buyers who may want to use the wood. Additionally, you can dismantle them and sell the wood. Selling ensures you get some money back and use it to buy new ones or put it to other uses.

3. Return Programs

Some pallet sellers have return programs that allow you to exchange old pellets for points. Once you have accumulated enough points, you can redeem them for new pallets. You might sometimes be required to top up a small amount of cash to get the new pallets. Such a program can greatly save your business if you dispose of pallets frequently.

4. Give Away

Instead of staffing your warehouse with unused pallets, consider donating to recyclers. Recyclers can reuse the wood or refurbish them into other storage materials. You can also donate them for community projects such as fencing. Pallets make excellent garden beds, and you can donate them to community gardening projects. It will enhance your brand image and can help you generate leads. 

Hoarding or dumping pallets is not right. Hoarding reduces storage space and can inhibit growth, while dumping affects the environment. Instead, you can find some creative ways to dispose of the pallets. These include selling to get some of your money back or repairing and reusing. Also, you can use exchange programs to get new ones at a reduced price by earning points. Most importantly, you can donate them for community projects such as gardening and fencing as part of your corporate responsibility.