Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/1243182
34 PalletCentral • March-April 2020 palletcentral.com To be truly circular then, the only remaining circular economy principle for the wood pallet industry to consider is the opportunity to intentionally "Design out waste and pollution." This might include product-level design decisions to remove problematic materials or adhesives, or it may include increasing durability of materials and pallet design to allow for even longer life-extension opportunities. The reality is that every wood pallet will eventually reach a point at which it is no longer able to perform as a pallet. However, in a circular economy, that does not mean it has reached the end of its useful life. As illustrated in PalletCentral 's September/October 2015 issue, the Forklift & Palate Restaurant in Manheim, PA, is proving this point. Largely constructed from, and filled with repurposed wood pallet materials, all the wall coverings, tables, menu holders, and many other features and furnishings from wood pallets that had reached end-of-life, now fill the space at the Forklift & Palate Restaurant. Above-and-beyond the comfortable, natural, and welcoming aesthetic that these repurposed wood pallet slats provide, this circular economy approach yields significant other Jennifer Russell, PhD is assistant professor at Virginia Tech, Sustainable Biomaterials, College of Natural Resources & Environment. She may be reached at jdrussell@vt.edu or phone: 540-231-9516. environmental and economic benefits. The virgin materials that would otherwise be needed to decorate and furnish the restaurant were avoided, thus avoiding the fuel consumption, emissions, and environmental impacts that are associated with upstream extraction and processing activities. The wood pallets that would otherwise have been sent to landfill were instead put to valuable and productive use, through life-extension, thus avoiding both landfill volume and landfill disposal costs. The construction and interior décor of the Forklift & Palate Restaurant were achieved at a significantly lower cost than if new and synthetic materials and products had been used instead. Rather than considering these examples of circular economy as outliers, it is clear that, from all perspectives, the wood pallet industry presents a compelling and encouraging story of the broader potential for a circular economy. With thoughtful communication, intentional product and business model design, and strategic action, the circular economy presents a significant opportunity for the wood pallet industry also to motivate and inspire action in other sectors.