From April, Superglass will distribute its glass mineral wool insulation on The Pallet LOOP’s reusable green pallets, expecting to reduce carbon footprint by 40% while enhancing pallet strength by 25%.
Around 90% of the 20 million new pallets manufactured every year are thought to end up in dumpsters or landfills. The Pallet LOOP, which is part of BSW Group, aims to save timber and reduce the waste generated in the production and use of conventional ‘white’ pallets by replacing them with reusable alternatives.
Distributed in a service-oriented model, the green pallets are thought to be up to 25% stronger than standard pallets while reducing carbon footprint by 40%. After the product has been delivered, the pallet is collected and re-introduced to the building materials supply chain.
To incentivize returns, The Pallet LOOP also offers a PayBack of up to £4 for every green LOOP pallet collected for reuse.
Since its pallets launched in May 2024, The Pallet LOOP estimates that it has helped customers across the construction sector reduce wood waste by around 9,500 tonnes; its reusable pallets are believed to have freed up an estimated 13,077 cubic metres of timber for use in other, longer-term carbon storage applications (based on figures from LOOP’s data tracker as of 6th February 2025).
After acquiring Superglass in 2023, Etex Group has signed the United Nations Global Compact, a voluntary initiative in which members commit to adopt socially and environmentally responsible practices in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and 2030 targets. Its work with The Pallet Loop is hoped to further these goals.
“Having the opportunity to reduce hundreds of tonnes of waste within our supply chain made joining The Pallet LOOP an easy decision for us,” said Theresa McLean, insulation leader at Etex UK. “By partnering with The Pallet LOOP, we can, crucially, lower the amount of construction waste that goes to landfill.
“Schemes like The Pallet LOOP are vital for organizations like ours because they’re creating the kind of circular economy model that is urgently required to protect the planet, which is exactly what we’re committed to supporting as part of our sustainability efforts here at Superglass.
“We’ve always been a sustainably-minded organization, committed to reducing waste and saving valuable resources, but as an industry, we can, and need to, do more. Joining The Pallet LOOP scheme is the perfect way for us to mark the start of 2025 as we continue to bolster our sustainability efforts throughout the year and beyond, while delivering excellent services to our customers across the UK.”
Paul Lewis, founder of The Pallet LOOP, continued: “We are delighted to welcome Superglass to The Pallet LOOP. The company’s decision to start transporting their insulation products on our green reusable pallets provides further evidence that The Pallet LOOP is the right thing to do for the construction industry, and the planet.
“It’s an exciting time for everyone linked with The Pallet LOOP. The number of green LOOP pallets being returned for reuse is increasing week on week and, as more green pallets enter the building materials supply chain this year, there will be even more opportunities for pallet recipients to save money, reduce waste and cut their carbon footprint.”
In another reusable pallet solution, Schütz’s three-skid steel pallet is designed to distribute heavy loads of Intermediate Bulk Containers in production centres and customer logistics. It is anticipated to maximize cleanliness, abrasion resistance, and durability in circular systems, as well as unlock cost-effectiveness for customers.
Additionally, Tetra Pak, CPR Systems and Lucart joined forces to incorporate post-consumption beverage carton processing into a pallet, which has since been adopted by major retailers like COOP. Our editor at large, Elisabeth Skoda, spoke to Tetra Pak’s Francesca Priora, CPR System’s Melissa Manfredini and COOP’s Chiara Faenza to learn more about the broader subjects of material circularity and circular processes in the packaging value chain on an episode of the Packaging Europe podcast.
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