In this episode, hosts Will Richardson and Charlie Luxton dive into a pressing issue within the construction industry – pallet waste.  

Each year, the industry uses around 20 million pallets, yet only 10% are recovered or reused. The rest end up in landfills, contributing to significant waste and environmental damage.  

Joining the discussion is Paul Lewis, Founder of Pallet Loop, who is on a mission to transform how pallets are used, tracked, and reused in construction. Paul shares how his innovative approach is set to tackle this issue.  

Key Highlights: 

The Pallet Loop Initiative: 

• Discover how Pallet Loop is pioneering the first reusable, trackable, and returnable pallet specifically for construction, potentially cutting pallet-related emissions by 40%.  
• Paul compares the construction industry to the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector, where reuse rates reach 98%.  
• Learn about the deposit-based model inspired by Germany and Norway’s bottle recycling schemes, designed to maintain the value of pallets.  
• Explore the innovative logistics system Pallet Loop has developed, featuring Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to efficiently recover pallets.  

Economic and Environmental Impact:  

• Paul reveals shocking statistics: 6000 acres of forestry are felled annually to produce single-use pallets for construction.  
• Hear how poor design contributes to waste and how Pallet Loop promotes standardisation from the outset to combat this issue.  
• Understand how Pallet Loop not only reduces waste and carbon emissions but also offers a cost-effective solution for the supply chain.  
• Paul discusses how Pallet Loop has helped suppliers like British Gypsum meet their Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) goals, addressing Scope 3 emissions without increasing cost for clients.  

Overcoming Industry Resistance:  

• The discussion highlights the challenges of persuading a traditionally change-resistant industry to adopt sustainable practices, often hindered by economic pressures and procurement processes. 
• Paul outlines his vision to overcome these barriers by extending reuse principles throughout the entire construction supply chain, with plans to expand the loop system to include other materials like cement bags and bulk packaging. 

Resources:  

Pallet Loop  

British Gypsum  

Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMGC) Industry 

Germany’s bottle recycling system 

Norway’s recycling program 

RFID technology  

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This episode of Sustainability Solved is sponsored by Business Declares, a not-for-profit business network who inspire, encourage, and accelerate action within businesses to address the climate, ecological, and social emergency.  

They are an active network of 100+ businesses who back our commitments to reach net-zero, restore and protect nature, and advocate for regulatory change.  

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