Pallet Trucks UK has urged those organising Bonfire Night attractions for the upcoming weekend to consider the environment when enjoying the festivities.
Wooden pallets have become a favoured fuel of choice for bonfires over recent years, with the load-bearing platforms being stacked in huge numbers to create massive fires. Whilst they might create a dazzling spectacle, this is detrimental to the environment and only results in further deforestation across the globe.
Phil Chesworth, Pallet Trucks UK Managing Director, said: “Bonfire Night is amazing, especially for young children seeing the fireworks and sparklers for the first time. It’s worth remembering however that burning wooden pallets on Bonfire Night is a somewhat wasteful choice that fuels deforestation in many countries.
“Wooden pallets are 100% recyclable, and even if they’re damaged or broken the wood can be remade into everything from fences and sheds to tables and chairs. Why not burn waste materials for bonfire night, or replace the fire altogether with even more fireworks?”
Hundreds of millions of pallets are in circulation around the world and although the wood for much of these is sustainably sourced, logging companies continue to destroy forests and jungles across the globe in order to create wood for pallets.
The current rate of deforestation means that, shockingly, an area equal to 20 football fields is lost every minute, and the loss of forests contributes to between 12% and 17% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions.
Phil added: “Our planet’s resources are the most precious commodity we have, and taking steps to protect our environment now means our grandchildren can enjoy many more Bonfire Nights for years to come.”
Pallet Trucks UK stocks a vast range of pallet trucks used to move wooden, plastic and low-profile pallets across the UK. The Midlands-based company stocks hundreds of models including heavy duty trucks that can move loads of over 5000kg and galvanized and stainless-steel trucks suitable for use in harsh environments.
Also included in Pallet Truck UK’s massive product catalogue are a plethora of others manual handling equipment goods, including moving skates, stackers, lift tables, drum loaders, platform lifts and more.