Are Reclaimed Pallets Safe for Raised Bed Gardens?

24 by Becky Striepe on January 25, 2012

Reader Question

wood pallet

We love DIY projects using pallets. You might say that we're a little bit obsessed, if we're being completely honest. That's why I was really struck when reader Cat wrote in asking if reclaimed pallets were safe for building a raised bed garden.

We've shared pallet projects for all sorts of things from building a chair to building a compost bin, and if pallet wood isn't safe, that's definitely something worth looking into. Cat pointed me to an article that questions the safety of bringing pallet wood indoors. It also makes me wonder if it's safe to use in conjunction with growing food. According to Nick at KraftMaid Cabinetry:

Wood shipping pallets often start out in a fairly sanitary state. Unfortunately, most find some part of their life out of doors exposed to water, all manner of vermin and insects, not to mention bird droppings and other nastiness.

Nick recommends using shipping pallets to only build outdoor structures, because wood pallets have tested positive for e. coli and even a chemical contaminant responsible for a Tylenol recall. I don't know about you guys, but I don't want to chance either of those in my house or contaminating my compost bin or food garden.

Should you quit building with wood pallets? That's really up to you. If you do want to build with pallet wood, I recommend taking the following precautions to make your reclaimed pallet projects safer:

Keep it outside.
Keep it away from food gardens.
Don't use pallets to build surfaces that will come into contact with food, like tables.
Look for reclaimed plastic pallets, which are much easier to clean and sanitize. They're not as versatile as wood, but you can scrub them down and disinfect them before using much more easily.

What do you guys think about pallet safety? These cases of contamination are only a small percentage of the pallet wood out there, but I'm a safety first kind of gal. What about you?

[Image Credit: Creative Commons photo by House of Sims]

Category: Craft Recycled, DIY | Tags: building with pallets, wood pallet safety, wood pallets

About the Author:

Becky Striepe is a green blogger and independent crafter with a passion for vintage fabrics. She runs a crafty business, Glue and Glitter, where her mission is to make green crafting and vegan food accessible to everyone! You can find Becky on Google+.

Follow Becky Striepe on Twitter: @glueandglitter

Dee Ann Wallace

I think that worrying about what might be “growing” on the wooden pallet is a bit OCD. You probably already have lots of E. coli in all sorts of places in your yard, not to mention all around. We humans were created to live with and, oh my gosh, need bacteria to function properly. If you garden, you are doing one of the best things that you can for your health, exposing yourself to all sorts of bacteria and other microrganisms. Use your pallets and don’t worry!

BTW – I am a medical microbiologist.

Becky Striepe

That’s good to hear, especially from an expert! I might still shy away from using them in the garden, but it sounds like maybe they’re not so bad for other craft projects, even in the home. What do you think about bringing them inside, from a safety standpoint?

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Jason

Wow! Another person who has seen and heeded the messages about the risks of using wood pallets for home projects. That’s two days in a row there have been posts from independent sources telling the story we have been telling here for some time: Wood pallets can be dangerous.

Greenupgrader does a good job of characterizing the risks of contamination with an assist from Nick. Maybe we’re starting to turn the corner and more voices will join the chorus to warn the uninitiated that wood pallets carry toxic materials and are not appropriate for everyday use.

Caitlin

You bring up an excellent point that wasn’t brought up in the article – most wood is treated with such chemicals as arsenic or creosote. You can’t use treated wood in gardens where you grow anything you’ll eat, for compost bins, or for burning. This is an entirely different issue than any contaminants that pallets pick up as they’re used.

http://www.dianevautier.com Diane Vautier (@dvautier)

I’m actually bummed to read this. I like the idea of re-purposing wood pallets and hate to think that they’re all bad. I guess it’s something I’ll have to look into more before making a decision about using them or not. I’m optimistic about Dee Ann’s comments that it’s unlikely to be an issue. Thanks for bringing the issue up.

Diane
@dvautier
http://ecopolitology.org Timothy Hurst

Pre-treated pallets notwithstanding (not all pallets are treated), I wonder if there are ways to clean or sterilize wood pallets? I.e. baking or dipping them?

Becky Striepe

That’s a good question. I was looking into how you sterilize wood, and it sounds like you need some industrial kiln situation to really dry it out properly/sterilize it. You can also put it up to dry, but it sounds like it takes years! What I wonder if whether a few coats of paint would seal it and make it safer to use.

Linda Graham

I wouldn’t use paint; it would only add further contaminants. I’d do the same thing I was told to do for toxic mold in my home: I’d spray or dip it using a mixture of 1:10 bleach and water, rinse with a dishwash and water solution and then let the sun dry it for a week or so to complete the process. It’s stuff like fence posts (4x4s) and decking that are usually treated; they don’t usually bother to waste the $$ to treat pallets.

Bill Macrides

Hi Becky, I saw a clip of someone sanding wood pallet slats and all this talk about the chemicals used to treat pallet wood makes me wonder about the sawdust produced by the sanding process. As I sure you and your readers are aware of that sawdust gets everywhere even with a fairly good vacuum system attached to the sander. Planning, sawing or any modification to the surface of the wood might be releasing carcinogenic material into the air and eventually into the body. I agree with the Micro Bio contributor about all sorts of bacteria and other microorganisms necessary for normal health but would we be poisoning and throwing ourselves on the pyre in the name of frugality and recycling?
Your thoughts.
Bill Macrides

Hi Becky, I did a little research and came up with these two sites on Wiki. Check out the markings in the pallets to find the safer ones to use and not put yourself and your family in danger.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pallet
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methyl_bromide
Bea Hall

You have to remember that pallets are used to transport all sorts of chemical substances. I used to drive tractor trailer. I have had loads of motor oil, furniture polish, dish detergent base and a million other chemicals leak on the pallets. Aside from the fact that they are stacked in parking lots where oil, diesel fuel and tire dust are all over the place. Yes, it would be lovely to repurpose these, but at what risk?
Kara

My husband is a repurposer with a mission – he just loves to use and re use and give stuff new life. We live in a house that began as a gas station once – he got the building for free. Our storage spaces outside are the nose cones of cargo military planes that he was able to get, move and use on our land. He routinely fixes “disposable” items. He won’t touch pallets. And it isn’t because of germs – it is because of the possibility of chemcals and substances that have likely leaked onto them. He just doesn’t want to risk it. I can think of a few scenarios in which I might possibly use them – know your source VERY well – but otherwise, we look to other materials to repurpose.
undrway

Hmmm, well i suppose if paranoia hits your so what button then do not use them. I find it intriguing that with all the pollution, contaminates, and in general what is being put into mother nature that pallets would be the least of worries when it comes to, most likely, trace amounts of contaminates. Look for fresh wood, real old pallets, and ones that have been used to transport safer products (i.e. dog food, can goods). Don’t let the greener side of life take total control of your thoughts.
Celtichp

umm i think you probably need to see a therapist and tell him/her that you think things that have come in contact with rain water and bird droppings might be contaminated with ” nastiness ” …sounds a wee bit like some Victorian repression to me . Bottom line is your making an assumption and are reactionary about something you dont wanna use common sense to understand. The pallets i use were made to carry steel from america to america and most were made at amish sawmills . these pallets were made to carry steel and so are made out of american white oak . These pallets are untreated and most arent even recycled . tell me something , what kind of land do you live in that bird droppings and rain water doesnt fall in your garden ? cause to me that sounds very strange
Celtichp

also it is erroneous to trick people into thinking that plastic can be ” DE-contaminated ” ….!!! most of those plastic timbers ( some made from recycled planters and seeding trays are filled with more nooks and cranies than a thomas english muffin….as a brewer we are taught to get rid of plastic that has too much surface mars and scratches . bacteria can hide out in there and resist the most rigorous cleaning and as a result ,they can never be properly sanitized .
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Misty

hi, I have done a lot of research on this pallet garden idea. Gardening outdoors is the way it should be bird poop and all!! Don’t freak out about bugs and nature.
As for pallets, well the answer is simple….just use “untreated” wood pallets for gardening. Health food stores often have products brought bundled on these.I wouldn’t use plastic pallets for the same reason I won’t use a plastic cutting board. Plastics are porous and cuts and nicks can seal in bacteria and such that is released if “reopened” by friction, more cuts and nicks. As far as cutting boards go, I use bleach and water to sanitize them.So if you are really freaked out you could sanitize your “untreated” wood pallets, but I”m not worried about that. It’s the nasty chemicals that they soak wood with that is more concerning!
http://www.facebook.com/people/Sean-Green/1596743964 Sean Green

I used some stockade fencing that was knocked down by hurricane Irene last year to build my compost bin. Anyone know if that is chemically treated? My guess is yes since it withstands years of weathering
http://www.facebook.com/kelona16 Ke’lona Hamilton

I wonder, could you line the pallets with something that would prevent any chemicals from leeching into the soil/plants of your raised garden bed?
valeri blossom

ack! i have always wanted to use pallets for indoor projects but been squicked out by the idea of the contaminants from all sources, whether treatments or the products shipped that may have spilled – and even as someone else mentioned, they sit around in parking lots and are just ick. every now and then i come across newer looking ones but after reading this, i’m not going to risk picking some up for indoor purposes because you’ve only helped reiterate what i was already thinking.
stupid to require a name

If your garden and compost pile do NOT “find part of their life out of doors exposed to water, all manner of vermin and insects, not to mention bird droppings and other nastiness” then you might want to consider keeping pallet wood away from them.
DrPH

Geez, people! She’s only being cautious. There’s no reason to be rude and insulting. While we may find sources of E. coli randomly in our yards, the reality is the the strains found in nature are those to which we have been exposed and developed an immunity or effective immune response. The strains of E. coli found in things like frozen meats transported to market can be some nasty bugs for sure. Some of them are resistant to antibiotics and if you’re using the pallets to grow food, this could present a problem. Furthermore, reclaimed pallets are those that the user has no further use for, presumably because they have been well-used, read: exposed to these sources repeatedly for a prolonged period of time. Depending on the exposure, e.g. Oils, chemicals, this could pose a real health risk.

The best advice given here is “know your source.”

And since we’re throwing out credentials, I hold a PhD in public health, with a specialization in food studies, which means I study where food comes from (including home gardens or subsistence gardening) and the various threats to our supply from terrorism to lead in soil.