Pallet safety for reuse projects
For anyone reusing pallets at home or on a farm: what the HT and MB marks mean for safety, why paint and spills rule a pallet out, and what EPA says never to burn.
- Can you burn pallets? When it's unsafe, and when it's illegalWhether pallet wood is safe to burn in a fire pit, wood stove or open fire: what EPA says never to burn, why MB, painted and contaminated pallets are out, and the burn rules to check.
- MB pallets: methyl bromide and what it means for reuseWhat an MB mark on a pallet means, why methyl bromide is restricted, and why MB pallets should stay out of DIY, burning, animals and gardens.
- HT pallets: what heat treated means and what it doesn'tWhat the HT mark on a pallet means under ISPM 15, why heat treatment is the safer mark for reuse, and the other things an HT stamp doesn't tell you.
- Are pallets safe for garden beds?How to choose pallet wood for raised beds and compost bays, why MB, painted and contaminated pallets are out, and what to do about nails and splinters.
- Pallets for chicken coops and animal pensWhether pallet wood is safe for chicken coops, rabbit hutches and livestock pens, and which pallets to avoid where animals chew, peck or sleep.
- Pallet wood for indoor furnitureHow to choose and prepare pallet wood for furniture and walls indoors: HT versus MB, cleaning, sanding dust, finishes and what to avoid.
- Painted, coloured and stained palletsWhy painted pallets are usually someone else's property, why paint rules them out of burning, mulch and DIY, and what to do with them.