12 reasons why you should be using reusable pallet wraps
The number one reason to use Palbands is because they are reusable, as long as you’ve got a return loop in your supply chain. This could be an internal supply chain moving goods from one area of your warehouse to another, or shipping goods from a distribution centre to local stores or customers. Palbands typically fold down to a small package when not in use so can be shipped back to their starting point very easily on any transport. There’s many other reasons to use them too, so read on and find out more.
1. Save money
Return on investment is paramount when investing in new products such as Palband reusable pallet wraps. Palbands are expected to last for approximately 1300-1500 uses so when used internally every day, the return on investment is likely to be around 6 months. You will then get another two to three years use after that which will be saving many £1000’s that would otherwise be spent on single use plastic pallet wrap.
2. Reduce environmental impact
Plastic as a product is a necessity in many instances, but there are also great opportunities to use other products or reusable products instead, especially when it comes to single use plastic wrap. As we all know, plastic is derived from oil, so every plastic product produced uses up more of the oil reserves. That’s why Palband reusable wraps are perfect for reducing your environmental impact as they can be reused multiple times, saving the waste created by single use plastics.
3. Remove single use plastic
This is the key driver for the promotion of reusable Palbands – it’s the whole reason why they were created and is the overarching reason Palband exists as a brand. Single use plastic in pallet wrap form is necessary in some respects but can easily be replaced with reusable wraps in a variety of situations, with the most cost effective being internal movement of goods within or between warehouses. This is a classic example of a completely unnecessary use of plastic as pallets or roll cage trolleys are often wrapped for only a few yards or metres, then the wrap is torn off and binned, often less than 10 minutes after it had been applied. Palbands are a perfect replacement for this.
4. Reduce the impact of the Plastic Packaging Tax
The Plastic Packaging Tax come into force in April 2022 and has had a significant impact on costs of single use plastic, which of course is the reason the government has introduced this law. With the cost of £217.85 per ton being passed up the line as far as possible, nobody wants to foot the bill, but when it does land with the appropriate company, they will no doubt be passing on the cost in another form, which will end up with the end user. Reusable pallet wraps are an excellent way of drastically reducing this cost, as there is only one initial cost to pay, then no further costs for several years after, which also saves the cost of the Tax increase the government will be bringing in each year.
Find out more about the Plastic Packaging Tax here.
5. Reduce the cost of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Packaging
With the introduction of the EPR in 2023, this has had a significant effect on a wide range of businesses who currently produce and use plastic packaging, with the focus from the government to increase recycling targets and waste reduction. The clear winners in this are those who use reusable products which minimise the waste management costs including operational costs to collect, manage and dispose of packaging waste.
Find out more about the EPR here.
6. Reduce landfill
Issues with landfill are at an all-time high, so anything that can be done in the short to medium term to reduce the strain on landfill can only be a good thing. Single use plastic shrink wrap is certainly part of the issue, that’s why reusable wraps like the Palband are excellent for making a reduction in the excessive amount of plastic waste that lands up in landfill sites.
7. Reduce litter
Single use plastic pallet wrap can often be seen stuck in hedges and trees, or strewn at the roadside because it is often used to cover products which are transported on the back of open trailers, and as the force of the wind puts pressure on the plastic, this can easily be torn off and becomes litter on the roadside or in bushes or trees. If reusable pallet wraps were used instead, they would be sufficiently attached to the goods and the pallet so there would be no possibility of being ripped off. Also, the Palband product is made from mesh which allows the air to flow through it, therefore reducing the impact of the wind.
8. Reduce waste disposal costs
Single use plastic waste needs to be stored somewhere before it can be removed from site and taken to landfill, so there’s a cost for storage, then the cost of transport, and the cost of dropping it at the landfill site. All these costs add up significantly over a year whereas the use of reusable pallet wraps negates all those costs.
9. Upcyclable and repairable
Palband reusable pallet wraps can be successfully upcycled to create other useful items such as temporary fence post blocks, road cone bases and other heavy weight products where second-rate PVC can be used. They can also be repaired very effectively which lengthens their useful lifespan and continues to save you money.
10. Made to your bespoke requirements
Some reusable pallet wraps are off the shelf which may or may not fit your specific needs, but the advantage of using the Palband product is that each one is tailored to suit your specific requirement, whether it be the size and weight of the goods on the pallet or in the roll cage trolley, the colour coding and branding to segregate specific transport arrangements, or the detachable lid to keep the rain out, all of your specific needs can be met with our bespoke designs.
11. Operator comfort
Many of our customers have mentioned that using our reusable pallet wraps have made wrapping pallets a whole lot easier, because the operative doesn’t need to run around the pallet 20 or 30 times with the single use wrap. Our Palband product only needs one walk around that saves the operative from getting dizzy which is a common complaint when hand wrapping pallets.
12. Show the public you care
Environmental issues are now front of mind in the majority of the public, and any brands that can demonstrate that they are putting a strong focus on making changes to their environmental footprint will have approval from the environmentally conscious. To be able to broadcast that you have saved the use of many tons of single use plastic must be a good thing, and can be confidently communicated to the world, and for good reason.
So to conclude, as long as you have a return loop of some kind, you can take full advantage of using reusable pallet wraps which will reduce your environmental impact, reduce your operational and waste disposal costs, reduce landfill and litter issues, reduce your costs related to the Plastic Packaging Tax and EPR, and give your brand a well earned boost in the process. A useful resource relating to sustainable packaging can be found on the McKinsey website where the authors of the article - True packaging sustainability: Understanding the performance trade-offs mention the need to be aware of reusable products that can help drive further carbon-emissions reduction.