Tips on Mold Prevention in Pallets: A White Paper by Litco

VIENNA, Ohio, May 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Litco International, Inc., North America's leading source of presswood pallets, has developed a new white paper for companies concerned about mold on their pallets. The paper includes information on the best ways to handle pallets to prevent the growth of mold for companies in sensitive industries, such as food, health care and apparel. It also includes information on how the materials used to construct pallets may prevent the growth of mold.

Mold on pallets has become a significant concern to some manufacturers. In the last year, several high-publicized product recalls were blamed on pallets treated against mold with the fungicide 2,4,6-tribromophenol, or TBP. When a pallet treated with TBP becomes wet, the chemical can break down into another chemical known as TBA, which releases a moldy, musty smell. In some instances, that odor could be absorbed by the product transported on the pallet. Or so some manufacturers claim.

TBP is banned in the US and none of the pallets in question was manufactured in the United States. Still, the controversy put a spotlight on pallets in industries that are most concerned about mold contaminating their products, including food, pharmaceutical and consumer packaged goods companies. Purchasing managers in those industries have issued new guidelines that require suppliers to provide pallets that have not been treated with any chemicals or, in some instances, that wooden pallets be dried to an average 8% moisture content.

The question is: Are these effective measures for preventing mold? If not, what should a shipper do?

The new white paper from Litco International answers some of these questions by summarizing the findings and recommendations for preventing mold from the National Wooden Pallet & Container Association (http://www.palletcentral.com) and the Department of Wood Science and Forest Products at Virginia Tech (http://vtwood.forprod.vt.edu/).

The paper also details the advantages of Inca pressed wood pallets when it comes to preventing mold, meeting IPPC-ISPM 15 requirements without further treatment and furthering corporate sustainability goals.

To download the mold white paper, visit http://www.litco.com/pdf/preventing-mold.pdf. For more information on the Inca pallet, visit http://www.litco.com or call 877-504-7954.

Litco International, Inc., based in Vienna, Ohio, is North America's leading source of presswood pallets. Made from pre- and post-consumer wood chips in a patented molding process, presswood pallets offer shippers a number of advantages over traditional wood pallets, including lower cost and lower weight. Litco also provides plastic pallets and a variety of other shipping products, including separator boards, core plugs, dunnage bags and void fill, as well as pallet management, leasing and other services. Litco was established in 1962 and ships from facilities in Vienna and Dover, OH, Sardis, MS and Wellford, SC. For more information, visit http://www.litco.com.  

For more information, contact:  

Gary Sharon, Vice President
Litco International, Inc.
330-539-5433 or 877-284-5043
[email protected]

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SOURCE Litco International, Inc.