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How to Calculate Carbon Footprints:
A Wood Pallet Example
Presented by:
Sponsored by:
Andres Carrano
Brian Thorn
Rochester Institute of
Technology
2013 MHI™ Copyright claimed as to audiovisual works of seminar sessions and sound
recordings of seminar sessions. All rights reserved.
Agenda
Background
Pallets and pallet logistics
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
LCA stages
Materials and manufacturing
Use and transportation
Repair and recycling
End of life disposal
Design tool screenshots
Industry sponsors
Research team
Faculty
Brian Thorn
Andres Carrano
Mike Hewitt
Graduate Students
Abbey Burns
Andres Morales
Darinee Niramarnkarn
Ricki Pavia
Shwei Sin Win
Henry Woltag
Alexander Turner
The Product Life Cycle
Used with permission from Dr.
Mike Ashby (Cambridge Univ)
Pallet Life Cycle
Raw
Materials
Source
New Pallet
Manufacturer
Goods
Manufacturer
DC
Retail 1
Retail 2
Legend:
: EOL
: Shipping
: Inventory
: Facility
Retail n
Pallet
Recycler
Materials and
Manufacturing stage
Pallet Life Cycle
Use and transportation stage
Raw
Materials
Source
New Pallet
Manufacturer
Goods
Manufacturer
DC
Retail 1
Retail 2
Retail n
Pallet
Recycler
Repair,
Recycling
and
End-of-life
stage
Objective
To develop a model that would support decision making
related to pallet logistics and that is based on total life
cycle environmental impacts.
Methods
 Carbon emissions as proxy for environmental impact
Emphasis on CO2 (and “equivalent” emissions)
 SimaPro process-based LCA
 Pallet Design Software (PDS-NWPCA)
 Databases
 IPCC 2007 Method
Eco-invent
Cambridge CES (materials)
 Data from pallet manufacturers, recyclers and third
party pool management from upstate New York
Scope
Stringer Pallet
Block Pallet
Popular ANSI sizes
32 x 40 in
36 x 48 in
40 x 48 in
42 x 42 in
48 x 40 in
48 x 48 in
24 x 32 in
32 x 48 in
36 x 36 in
36 x 42 in
48 x 60 in
48 x 72 in
Raw Materials
Lumber
Timber extraction
 Logs transported to the lumber mill
 Logs debarked and rip sawn
Nails
Steel production
Manufacture from steel
Transportation
Embodied Energy of Materials
Framework adapted from Dr. Mike
Ashby (Cambridge University)
Pallet Design & Manufacturing
Raw Materials
 Assembly of pallets (nailers)
Annularly
Hellically
Threaded nail Threaded nail
Treatments
 Kiln drying (19% EMC)
 Phytosanitation
 Heat treatment (HT - 133ºF, 30 min)
 Fumigation (MB - methyl bromide)
 Mold dipping
 PQ80, USDA approved,
 Approximately 3 months.
Screenshots and images from various hardware
supplies websites and PDS software®
Bill of Materials - examples
48’ x 40” Stringer
48’ x 40” Block
13.5 board feet
20.1 board feet
High density eastern
hardwoods
60%
High density eastern
hardwoods
39%
Medium density eastern
hardwoods
10%
Southern yellow pine
61%
102
Eastern oaks
30%
Annularly threaded nails
(2 different lengths)
Helically threaded nails
84
Use and Transportation
Emissions based on:
Mode
Type of pallet
Kiln treatment
 Weight (as a function of EMC)
Repair and Recycling
 Dock sweeping and pallet recovery
 Transportation
Pallet sortation
 No touch
 Leased pool (CHEP, Peco, etc)
 Repair (core) pallets
 Donor (tear down) pallets
 EOL disposal pallets
Repair and Recycling
 Characterization of pallet damage
 NWPCA Uniform standard for wood pallets (2011)
 Class 1(A): plate repairs OK but no companion stringers
 Class II (B): 1-2 repaired stringers with long companions
 Class III (C): otherwise
Images from NWPCA standard
Repair and Recycling
 Characterization of the repair process (New and “A”)

 CO2 includes emissions from transportation, repair
processes, and materials (nails and plates).
End of Life
 End of life disposal
 Transportation
 Scenarios
Application
by region
NE
SW
Landscaping
60%
-
Animal Bedding
4%
10%
Biofuel
35%
80%
Municipal Waste
1%
10%
Screenshot from SimaPro® LCA Software
Estimator tool: Inputs and outputs
Estimator tool: Dashboard
For More Information:
Mike Ogle, MHI Managing Executive [email protected]
www.MHI.org/CICMHE
2013 MHI™ Copyright claimed as to audiovisual works of seminar sessions and sound
recordings of seminar sessions. All rights reserved.