Advice on compost bins made from wooden pallets

The trend of upcycling wooden pallets is incredibly popular right now. I’ve seen many photos of DIY projects where they have been converted into coffee tables, chicken coops, beds etc. I am a firm believer in upcycling, however I’m a little wary of using wood pallets; here are a few reasons why:

Testing reports that 10-50% contain pathogens such as E. coli, Listeria, Salmonella and/or Enterobacter. (National Consumers League and PRNewswire)

They are heat treated or fumigated with methyl bromide, a lethal and highly regulated gas. This must happen before pallets are to be moved across border because they are susceptible to insect infestation. (Pallet Enterprise)

Pallets made of wood composite may contain Formaldehyde, a known carcinogen. (Truth About Pallets)

If you still would like to use pallets for a DIY project, first dissemble and thoroughly wash with a non-toxic cleaner such as vinegar and water, Benefect or PureGreen24; then plane or sand the wood to get rid of any germs and splinters. If you do decide to go this route, you definitely do not want to breathe in the sawdust, so make sure to cover your mouth and nose and wear safety glasses and gloves.

Do you use pallets for DIY projects? If yes, how do you prepare the wood?
Submitted by Sarah Stacey on Thu, 09/01/2011 - 6:24pm

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Comments
Safety of Wood Pallets
Submitted by GayleBorst on Tue, 09/06/2011 - 4:37pm.

Most of us would want to avoid using pallets treated with methyl bromide, choosing instead only those heat treated. All pallets should be stamped with an indication of how it was treated - Look for "HT" for heat treated and avoid those with "MB", indicating treatment with toxic methyl bromide. This is particularly important if you will be using the pallets around children, animals or food.

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