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8 PalletCentral • September-October 2020 palletcentral.com Fall into Focus A s summer nears its end, staff used much time to re-think and re-imagine events and networking opportunities for our members. Although all staff travel has been on hold, our participation levels have increased dramatically with virtual events bringing a much larger audience to our association to raise our profile even higher. At press time, NWPCA will have hosted a webinar on lumber markets with the Hardwood Market Report, the NWPCA Political Action Committee will have supported two in-person events, and we are all celebrating the much-anticipated EPD release. Our fall schedule will include more online education and engagement opportunities. As we navigate these chaotic times, know that our focus revolves around providing the products, programs and services that matter most to our members and their businesses, so stay tuned. NWPCA Releases EPD: Wooden Pallets Certified by UL N WPCA announces UL officially certified the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for Wooden Pallets. This certification signifies that the EPD is in conformance with the stringent type III environmental declarations set by UL and the International Standards Organization. This effort was funded by the Pallet Foundation and is the culmination of more than four years of work by NWPCA volunteers, staff, the U.S. Forest Products Lab. Approximately 10 percent of NWPCA members participated by providing the crucial survey data needed to finalize this project, and the results speak for themselves. The results show that when considering its life cycle, wooden pallets can have a potential net carbon positive impact. Through the unique properties of wood, INSIDENWPCA NWPCA To Speak on Sustainability During Supply Chain Conference O riginally scheduled for September 14-16, presentation by NWPCA President & CEO, Brent McClendon, "The Supply Chain's Unsung Hero – The Wooden Pallet," to the Association for Supply Chain Management will now be a taped "virtual" presentation and expanded with a panel discussion. ASCM is the global leader in supply chain organizational transformation, innovation and leadership. Brent joins a prestigious group of leaders NWPCA Announcements and Upcoming Events Representative Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), pictured center, visited with NWPCA member company BDL Supply in South Charleston, Ohio. carbon offsets may be achieved by the reuse of pallet materials and substituting wood fuel from pallet waste (e.g., unusable pallets) for natural gas. The EPD includes Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) results for wooden pallets, including production, use and end- of-life stages. This EPD is the first of its kind in the distribution packaging space. It provides consumers with transparent and product-specific environmental information through independent certification. Learn more about the EPD, LCA, and download the reports at www.palletcentral.com/epd. NWPCA Member Hosts Member of Congress I n August, U.S. Representative Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) visited with NWPCA member company BDL Supply in South Charleston, Ohio. It was the first visit for the Congressman. Tour host, Billy Hoskins, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, noted, "The Congressman was quite impressed with the facility's size and our number of employees." The visit showcased the importance of hosting Members of Congress who make key decisions that affect our industry and to be aware of the impact of their votes. Congressman Davidson sits on the House Financial Services Committee, which oversees the nation's housing and financial services sectors.

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