A five-year research project sponsored by the Association of Plastics Manufacturers in Europe (APME, Avenue van Nieuwenhuyse 4, B-1160 Brussels) has developed two new types of transport pallets produced from recycled plastics and designed for polymer resins distribution and storage. The pallets, now ready to be launched in the European market, can be ordered from Wavin LASH (Prinsengracht 2, NL 8600 AE Sneek) and Innova Packaging Systems N.V. (Roozendaalstraat 101, B-8900 Leper), the two companies that designed and manufacture them.

According to APME, the pallets are suitable for storage and transport of various types of plastics. As they are “tough and long lasting”, their use can result in “significant cost saving over time”, says Werner Prätorius, head of polystyrene at BASF (D-67056 Ludwigshafen), one of ten polymer producers that tested the new development. The AP2 pallet, designed for general use, is a standard 1000mm, while the larger 1300 x 1100mm AP1 pallet can accommodate up to 1500 kg polymer bags. In addition to meeting the ISO 8611 standard, both pallets have been designed for easy handling, safe stacking and durability, APME says.

Another advantage of the new pallets is their light weight, allowing more goods to be transported on each load. As Neil Mayne, head of APME´s technical and environment centre, points out, this reduces the number of journeys and thus CO² emissions. The association is making guidelines available to companies who want to try the new product. Extensive use will depend on the introduction of a pooling system, APME says. The association is also making available the result of its studies confirming the viability of such systems.