CJ Logistics Commercializes Recycled Plastic Pallets... 'Strengthening ESG Management'

The 'Carbon ZERO Pallet' is being delivered to CJ Logistics Shindeok Distribution Center.

[Asia Economy Reporter Dongwoo Lee] CJ Logistics announced on the 2nd that it will introduce 300 eco-friendly recycled pallets called ‘Carbon ZERO Pallets,’ made through upcycling of waste plastics, to its logistics centers.

This initiative follows last month’s eco-friendly uniforms made by upcycling waste PET bottles and is part of the company’s ESG management efforts to reduce carbon emissions. The waste plastics used to produce the Carbon ZERO Pallets were supported by Lock&Lock, a global household goods company.

The Carbon ZERO Pallets were created through a collaboration between CJ Logistics and its logistics partner Lock&Lock. Lock&Lock provided 10 tons of high-quality waste plastics free of charge to CJ Logistics, which was facing difficulties in securing materials for eco-friendly pallet production.

A pallet is a platform used in logistics sites for stacking goods and transporting them with forklifts. Unlike wooden pallets that are used once, most pallets nowadays are made of plastic materials.

Each Carbon ZERO Pallet is made from 28 kg of waste plastics, and the carbon emissions generated when disposing of this amount of plastic would be approximately 67.2 kg. Producing 300 pallets from waste plastics can reduce about 20,160 kg of carbon dioxide, which is equivalent to the amount of CO2 absorbed by 6,720 pine trees over one year.

The Carbon ZERO Pallets not only reduce carbon emissions during production but also provide additional carbon reduction benefits during actual use. They are made as modular pallets, making repair and recycling easy.

When damaged, only the affected parts can be replaced immediately to restore the pallet, and the damaged parts can be recycled again. Compared to conventional fixed pallets that require complete disposal when broken, this modular design offers cost savings as well as additional carbon reduction effects. CJ Logistics produced the pallets in cooperation with Sangjin ARP, a customized packaging logistics company that holds international patents for modular pallets.

The Carbon ZERO Pallets are medium-to-heavy duty pallets most commonly used on site, capable of carrying loads up to 1 ton. Before field deployment, CJ Logistics conducted stability tests including 24-hour load tests, forklift trolley tests, and torsion tests, proving that the pallets function as well as conventional pallets. The initial 50 pallets produced on the 8th of last month are currently in use at CJ Logistics’ Shindeokpyeong Logistics Center, with an additional 250 pallets to be introduced by the 13th.

CJ Logistics is also considering using the Carbon ZERO Pallets not only domestically but also at its overseas bases in the second half of the year. A CJ Logistics official said, “The Carbon ZERO Pallets are not just a simple resource-saving campaign but have great significance in establishing a sustainable recycling process in the logistics business,” adding, “We will continue to strengthen our cooperation with Lock&Lock to reduce carbon emissions.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.