Mold…it’s not a pretty sight anywhere! And it’s an especially vexing problem when it shows up on pallets. It is a common problem due to moisture and it is “coming increasingly under scrutiny as food safety requirements continue to become a priority,” according to Rick LeBlanc in an article on the website The Balance.
In order to prevent mold moisture, along with the availability of oxygen and a food source must be controlled. Wooden pallets provide a good breeding ground for mold if they are untreated. That treatment is designed to inhibit mold from growing in the first place.
Jeff Morrell, Ph.D., from Oregon State’s College of Forestry Wood Science and Engineering Department, says mold spores can typically become air borne and can germinate on any wet wooden surfaces where they land. “Mold spores can usually be brushed from the wood surface, leaving little evidence of their presence; however, the fungus is still very much alive in the wood and can continue to grow and produce new spores if the wood remains wet,” he says.
Wooden pallets manufactured in the US are heat treated to insure that bugs and other kinds of pests can’t infiltrate the wood. But additional treatments are needed to prevent mold spores that are in the air, and fungi that already are there from multiplying on the wood. A moldicide applied to the wood inhibits mold growth.
Another good way to prevent mold from growing is to use heavy-duty fans for ventilation. Stagnant air prevents evaporation. So even a small amount of air movement can greatly increase the amount of evaporation from the wood. It’s also important to store pallets off the ground in order to keep them dry.
One of the best ways to keep pallets from becoming mold infested is quick turn around of pallet inventory. Our goal at Greenway Products & Services is to keep our customers’ business moving. Greenway Products & Services will help you start out with high quality, sturdy pallets for your shipping needs. Greenway is a leading pallet recycler and re-manufacturer in the New York metropolitan area. We are a full-service pallet management company “We have been able to achieve the industry’s highest on time delivery rate of 98.9% with the improvements we have made to our manufacturing facilities,” says Dominick Davi, Greenway’s President of Products & Services.
Contact us for a quote today. Visit our website, www.greenwaypsllc.com or call us at 732-442-0200. We can deliver trailers to you on a moment’s notice throughout Nassau County, Suffolk County Long Island and the Tri-state area.
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