Sustainability Is Not aBuzzword. It's Our Blueprint.
We measure success not just in pallets moved, but in trees preserved, emissions prevented, and waste eliminated.
Join the Green Revolution
Switch to sustainable pallets today.
How We Close the Loop
Traditional pallet supply chains are linear: make, use, discard. We've built a circular model where every pallet is kept in use as long as possible.
Collect
We collect used pallets from businesses, warehouses, and distribution centers.
Sort & Grade
Each pallet is inspected, sorted by condition, and graded for quality.
Repair & Refurbish
Damaged pallets are repaired to like-new condition using reclaimed materials.
Redistribute
Refurbished pallets are sold back into the supply chain at a fraction of the cost.
Our Environmental Impact
Real numbers. Real impact. Updated quarterly.
Trees Preserved
By recycling pallets, we reduce the demand for fresh timber harvesting.
Material Recovery
Nearly every piece of material entering our facility is recovered.
CO₂ Prevented
Avoided emissions from manufacturing new pallets from raw materials.
Water Saved
Manufacturing new pallets requires significant water. Recycling doesn't.
Energy Reduction
Recycling pallets uses 60% less energy than making new ones.
Landfill Waste
Zero waste to landfill. Every scrap finds a purpose.
Our Certifications & Commitments
Zero Waste Certified
Achieved and maintained since 2018. Less than 1% of materials leave our facility as waste.
ISPM-15 Compliant
All our pallets meet international phytosanitary treatment standards for safe international shipping.
Carbon Neutral Pledge
We offset 100% of our operational carbon footprint through verified environmental programs.
Our 2030 Sustainability Goals
Ambitious targets that hold us accountable to the planet and our partners
Material Recovery Rate
We currently recover 98% of all materials. Our goal is to push that to 99.5% by optimizing our sorting and processing systems even further.
Renewable Energy by 2028
We are transitioning all facilities to 100% renewable energy sources, including on-site solar arrays and certified green energy contracts.
Operations by 2030
Beyond carbon neutral — we aim to remove more carbon than we produce, through reforestation, carbon capture partnerships, and operational efficiencies.
Single-Use Plastic
We are systematically eliminating all single-use plastics from our operations, replacing them with biodegradable and reusable alternatives.
Trees Planted
Through partnerships with reforestation organizations, we aim to plant 25,000 trees by 2030, contributing to healthy forests and biodiversity.
Sustainability Report Highlights
Verified numbers from our independently audited annual report
Transparent. Audited. Accountable.
Every year, we publish a comprehensive sustainability report that covers our environmental performance, community impact, and progress toward our long-term goals. The report is independently audited by a third-party environmental consulting firm to ensure accuracy and integrity.
This is our third year running of publishing these results publicly. We believe transparency is not just good practice — it's a responsibility. Our clients, partners, and community deserve to see exactly where we stand.
The data below represents cumulative lifetime achievements across all our operations, from our founding in 2010 through the end of the most recent reporting period.
Pallets Recycled Lifetime
Trees Saved
CO₂ Prevented
Water Saved
Jobs Created
Material Recovery Rate
Partner Programs
Work with us to make your supply chain greener and more transparent
Green Supply Chain Certification
We help clients earn recognized sustainability certifications by documenting their use of recycled pallets and measuring the environmental impact. Our team guides you through the entire certification process, providing the data and documentation you need to demonstrate your commitment to sustainable operations.
Pallet Lifecycle Management
Our end-to-end tracking system follows every pallet from initial purchase through multiple use cycles and eventual recycling. You get full visibility into your pallet inventory, usage patterns, and optimal replacement timing — helping you reduce costs while minimizing waste.
Environmental Impact Reporting
Receive quarterly reports showing your company's specific environmental savings from using recycled pallets. We calculate trees preserved, CO₂ avoided, water saved, and energy conserved — data you can use in your own ESG reporting, marketing materials, and stakeholder communications.
Environmental Certifications
We hold and maintain certifications from recognized environmental bodies, independently audited every year to ensure ongoing compliance.
SFI Certified Sourcing
Sustainable Forestry Initiative certification ensures every board we purchase from mills comes from responsibly managed forests. We verify chain-of-custody documentation on all virgin lumber used in custom pallet construction.
EPA SmartWay Partner
As a SmartWay Transport Partner, we commit to measuring, benchmarking, and improving freight transportation efficiency. Our fleet exceeds EPA fuel-efficiency targets by 18% through route optimization and modern engines.
Cal/OSHA VPP Star Site
Our Riverside facility earned the Voluntary Protection Program Star designation from Cal/OSHA, recognizing our comprehensive environmental health and safety management system that goes well beyond minimum requirements.
B Corp Pending
We are currently in the final stages of B Corporation certification, which evaluates our entire social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. We expect formal certification by Q3 2026.
ISPM-15 Compliant Facility
All heat-treatment operations at our facility comply with ISPM-15 international phytosanitary standards. We maintain continuous monitoring logs and undergo unannounced inspections by APHIS-approved agencies twice annually.
Zero Waste to Landfill
Independently verified by GreenCircle Certified, our facility diverts 100% of waste from landfill. Wood scraps become mulch or biomass fuel, metal hardware is recycled, and packaging materials are composted or reused.
CARB Compliance
Our heat treatment kilns and on-site equipment meet California Air Resources Board emission standards. We use low-NOx burners and maintain real-time emission monitoring systems across all combustion equipment.
NWPCA Member
As members of the National Wooden Pallet and Container Association, we adhere to industry best practices for pallet design, safety, and environmental stewardship, including participation in their Pallet Recycling Program.
Understanding Your Carbon Footprint
Every pallet has a carbon story. A new 48x40 GMA pallet manufactured from virgin lumber produces approximately 28.5 kg of CO2 equivalent emissions — accounting for forestry, transportation, sawmill processing, and assembly. A recycled pallet from Riverside Pallet Co. produces just 5.7 kg of CO2e, an 80% reduction.
Our Eco Calculator takes your monthly pallet volume, pallet type, and delivery distance to produce a detailed breakdown of your emissions savings compared to purchasing new. The calculation methodology follows the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard and uses emission factors from the EPA and USDA Forest Products Laboratory.
Clients who switch to recycled pallets typically see a reduction of 15 to 45 metric tons of CO2e per year, depending on volume. That is the equivalent of taking 3 to 10 passenger vehicles off the road annually.
CO2e per new pallet
CO2e per recycled pallet
Emission reduction
Cars off the road per client
Our Riverside facility processes over 200,000 pallets per year, keeping thousands of tons of wood out of landfills.
Tree Planting Initiative
For every 500 pallets recycled, we plant a tree through our reforestation partnership with One Tree Planted and the Arbor Day Foundation.
Trees Planted to Date
Since launching our tree planting initiative in 2019, we have funded the planting of over 8,400 trees across California, Oregon, and Washington. Each planting site is chosen for maximum ecological benefit, prioritizing fire-damaged areas, riparian zones, and wildlife corridors.
Active Reforestation Areas
We are actively supporting reforestation at six sites: the San Bernardino National Forest, Angeles National Forest, Sequoia National Forest, Mendocino National Forest, the Cascade Range in Oregon, and the Olympic Peninsula in Washington.
Native Tree Species
Our plantings focus exclusively on native species appropriate for each site: Ponderosa pine, Douglas fir, white fir, incense cedar, sugar pine, coast redwood, valley oak, western red cedar, Sitka spruce, bigleaf maple, red alder, and Oregon white oak.
How the Program Works
Every pallet we recycle is tracked in our system. When cumulative volume reaches 500 pallets, a planting credit is triggered.
Credits are pooled quarterly and transferred to our reforestation partners along with funding for site preparation, seedlings, and maintenance.
Our partners plant the trees during optimal planting windows (typically late fall through early spring) and provide GPS-tagged planting confirmation.
We provide clients with annual tree planting certificates showing the number of trees funded by their pallet volume, including planting locations and species.
Water Conservation Impact
Manufacturing new pallets from raw timber is a water-intensive process. By recycling, we eliminate the vast majority of that water consumption.
Water per new pallet
Sawmill processing, kiln drying, and dust suppression for a single new GMA pallet.
Water per recycled pallet
Minimal water used only for equipment cooling and facility wash-down, prorated per unit.
Water savings per unit
Each recycled pallet saves nearly 20 gallons compared to its newly manufactured equivalent.
Lifetime savings
Total water conserved across all recycled pallets since our founding in 2010.
On-Site Water Management
Our Riverside facility operates a closed-loop water reclamation system that captures and filters runoff from our wash stations and equipment cooling systems. Reclaimed water is reused for dust suppression across our outdoor yard areas, reducing our municipal water draw by 75%.
We also installed a 15,000-gallon rainwater harvesting system in 2023 that captures seasonal rainfall from our 40,000 sq ft roof. This harvested water supplements our dust suppression and landscaping needs, further reducing dependence on municipal supply during drought conditions.
Environmental Organization Partnerships
We collaborate with established environmental organizations to amplify our impact beyond what we can achieve alone.
One Tree Planted
Our primary reforestation partner since 2019. We fund tree plantings through their North American programs, focusing on fire recovery and riparian restoration in the western United States. To date, our partnership has resulted in over 5,000 trees planted across California and Oregon.
Arbor Day Foundation
We partner with the Arbor Day Foundation on their Community Tree Recovery program, which replants trees in communities devastated by natural disasters. Our contributions have supported planting efforts in communities affected by wildfires in Paradise, CA and Lake County, CA.
Inland Empire Resource Conservation District
We work directly with the IERCD on habitat restoration projects within Riverside County. Our team participates in quarterly volunteer workdays for invasive species removal and native plant restoration along the Santa Ana River watershed.
California Product Stewardship Council
As a member of CPSC, we participate in state-level policy discussions around extended producer responsibility, wood waste diversion mandates, and circular economy legislation. We provide industry expertise and real-world data to support evidence-based policymaking.
UC Riverside Environmental Sciences Department
We collaborate with UC Riverside researchers on lifecycle assessment studies for wood pallets, providing facility access and operational data. Current research projects include comparing carbon sequestration rates of recycled vs. virgin lumber products and optimizing heat treatment energy efficiency.
Keep Riverside Clean & Beautiful
We sponsor and participate in quarterly community cleanup events throughout the City of Riverside. Our team focuses on removing illegally dumped pallets and wood waste from vacant lots and waterways, diverting this material back into our recycling operation.
Sustainability Roadmap 2025 - 2030
Our five-year roadmap lays out specific, measurable milestones with clear accountability and annual progress reporting.
- Complete B Corp certification process and achieve formal certification
- Install 200kW solar array on facility roof, targeting 40% of electricity from on-site solar
- Launch electric vehicle pilot program with 2 EV delivery trucks for Inland Empire routes
- Achieve 98.5% material recovery rate (up from current 98%)
- Expand solar array to 350kW, targeting 65% of electricity from on-site solar
- Convert all facility lighting to LED with motion sensors (projected 30% electricity savings)
- Implement automated pallet grading using computer vision to reduce error rates and improve sorting speed
- Plant our 10,000th tree through reforestation partnerships
- Achieve 100% renewable electricity through combination of on-site solar and certified green energy contracts
- Expand EV fleet to 8 trucks covering all Southern California delivery routes
- Launch client-facing sustainability dashboard with real-time environmental impact tracking
- Eliminate all single-use plastic packaging from operations
- Achieve carbon neutral operations through combination of efficiency, renewables, and verified offsets
- Install on-site battery storage system to maximize solar self-consumption
- Open second processing facility in the Central Valley to reduce transportation emissions for agricultural clients
- Reach 15,000 trees planted milestone
- Begin transition to carbon negative operations through expanded reforestation and carbon capture investments
- Convert remaining diesel fleet vehicles to electric or renewable natural gas
- Achieve 99.5% material recovery rate across all facilities
- Launch industry consortium for pallet lifecycle data sharing and standardization
- Achieve verified carbon negative operations — removing more carbon than we produce
- Reach 25,000 trees planted across all reforestation sites
- Complete full fleet electrification
- Publish our first decade-long sustainability retrospective with independently verified data
Sustainability In Action
A look inside our operations and environmental initiatives
Graded and inspected recycled pallets staged for delivery to clients across Southern California.
Our industrial kilns treat pallets to ISPM-15 standards, ensuring pest-free, export-ready products.
Phase one of our 200kW solar installation, targeting 40% on-site renewable electricity by end of 2025.
Skilled technicians repair pallets by hand, extending their lifecycle and reducing waste.
Unusable wood scraps are processed into landscape mulch, ensuring zero waste to landfill.
Our team participates in quarterly reforestation planting events in the San Bernardino National Forest.