As the federal government analyzed critical infrastructure amid the COVID-19 crisis, pallets were listed as key to the pandemic response by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). This designation is intended to guide state and local authorities as they develop local rules and quarantines to stop the spread of the virus.
DHS explained, “If you work in a critical infrastructure industry, as defined by the Department of Homeland Security, such as healthcare services and pharmaceutical and food supply, you have a special responsibility to maintain your normal work schedule.”
All of those critical industries rely on pallets to get necessary supplies. DHS described as critical – “Manufacturers and distributors (to include service centers and related operations) of packaging materials, pallets, crates, containers, and other supplies needed to support manufacturing, packaging staging and distribution operations.”
“The continued development, use and reuse of pallets provides a critical piece of our supply chain,” said Brent McClendon, president and CEO of the National Wooden Pallet & Container Association (NWPCA). “The system for getting important goods where they need to be is rapidly evolving and being pushed harder than ever. Making sure pallets remain a part of that system now will help deliver food, medicines, sanitizers and other essentials that are required to successfully manage a quarantine.”
Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, nearly 2 billion pallets were in use across the United States during any given day. The total number of pallets in circulation each day is likely higher now. More than 93% of all goods are shipped using pallets.
The NWPCA stated, “The increase in demand for food, essential medicines, sanitizers and other critical items that are shipped on pallets is a clear demonstration of how essential the pallet industry is at this time.”
Whether to consider pallet and containers as critical infrastructure is up to state and local authorities. The DHS stated, “This list is advisory in nature. It is not, nor should it be considered to be, a federal directive or standard in and of itself…Instead, State and local officials should use their own judgment in using their authorities and issuing implementation directives and guidance. Similarly, critical infrastructure industry partners will use their own judgment, informed by this list, to ensure continued operations of critical infrastructure services and functions.”
Beyond pallets, the DHS guidelines also address other sectors in the forest products industry. The DHS identified as critical infrastructure – “Workers who support the manufacture and distribution of forest products, including, but not limited to timber, paper, and other wood products.”
Initially, the state of Pennsylvania in its quarantine order did not include sawmills or loggers. Both were added as state officials realized that you can’t have wood products without loggers or sawmills.
The National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA) recently commented, “Most states are following the federal guidelines when ordering people to shelter in place.” Three states in the hardwood region (Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio) have designated sawmills and loggers as essential businesses.
If you are in another state, you may need to lobby your local political officials to ensure that pallets or wood products companies are properly classified and allowed to stay open despite business closure orders.
Sawmills and loggers are critical for the following important supplies: wood chips that produce the fiber for masks, filters and toilet tissue; hardwood lumber for pallets to move food, medical supplies and more; hardwood fuel pellets for energy production; and hardwood ties for railroad transportation.
Pallets keep everything moving, and wood products are a critical raw material for key supplies in the COVID-19 fight. For more information on the DHS and CISA guidelines on critical infrastructure, visit https://www.cisa.gov/publication/guidance-essential-critical-infrastructure-workforce.
