Are pallets safe to use for craft and DIY projects? What do the stamped letters mean on the pallets? How do I know for sure it’s safe? This is one of the most asked questions I come across and we’re going to answer that today.
The first two letters indicate the country where the pallet was produced. In the example above, the pallet was created in the United States.
The numbers below the country code indicate the unique code assigned by the National Plant Protection Organization. Each pallet producing company has their own code.
The last two letters are the most important. This above stamp shows the letter “HT”. HT means the pallet is heat treated. Heat treated pallets are safe to re-use. The heat treatment uses a kiln to heat the wood to treat the wood instead of using chemicals.
If the pallet has the letters “MB”, this means the pallet was treated using Methyl Bromide. Methyl Bromide is used to chemically treat wood. This kind of treatment is unsafe to re-use and you should use caution when handling the pallet.
Another thing to keep in mind, you should also keep an eye out of signs of spillage. If you notice greasy or other matter on the pallet you might want to proceed with caution. Pallets are used to ship various items and can cause a threat if a product would leak onto the shipping pallet. Examine pallet closely for any indication of contamination.
The pallets I use come from a food service. I feel pretty safe working with pallets that were used to ship food instead of other items. I also stick to newer looking pallets.
My best advice is to use common sense when selecting pallets for your projects. It’s best to play it safe than take a risk. If it looks funky, leave it be!
I hope today’s post puts your fears to rest.
Stay safe and stop back tomorrow for another day Working with Pallets.
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