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PALLET STRAPPING
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What Is Strapping?
Strapping is used to bundle items into a secure, transportable unit.
Common Strap Materials
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Polypropylene (PP)
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Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)
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Steel
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Polyamide 6.6 (PA6.6)
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Paper
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Composite Materials
Choosing the Right Strap:
✔ Strength
✔ Elasticity
✔ Environmental resistance
✔ Ease of use
✔ Safety
✔ Cost
Standards Matter:
Always follow approved guidelines (e.g. EN12195) for strapping methods and load limits.
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The Challenge: Collection and Recycling
Pallet straps are rarely re-used:
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Straps are applied using high-speed automated packaging lines.
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They’re cut upon arrival, making them too short for reuse.
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Manual reattachment is difficult and impractical.
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After use, straps are discarded and mixed with other waste.
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Contamination and deformation reduce their suitability for reuse.​
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A study by the Fraunhofer Institute (Germany) highlights the technical limitations of reuse and supports recycling as the preferred solution.
Recycling and Waste Management Challenges
Still too linear; current waste management systems aren't fully designated for circularity.
B2B Reality:
Mixed (comingled) waste collection is common in distribution centers and retail — leading to landfilling or incineration of valuable materials.
What's Holding Recycling Back?
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Straps are thin, tangled, and easily contaminated.
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Often mixed with other plastics.
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Low economic value discourages recyclers.
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Requires specialized equipment for processing.
Improving the System Requires:
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Stronger cooperation across the value chain.
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Better practices at distribution centers and retail.
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Expansion of recycling networks across the EU.
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Support from legislators for pragmatic, scalable solutions
Positive Steps Already Taken:
Several partners in Project Alliance Strapping have invested in recycling capacity, either in-house or through mechanical recycling partners.
Looking Ahead:
Municipalities and retail points of sale will need to take on more responsability.
Distribution centers and retail represent low-hanging fruit for improving collection efficiency.
Environmental Impact
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Large volumes of strapping waste still end up in landfills or incinerators.
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When landfills are near waterways, there's a high risk of marine pollution.
What's The Alternative?
The Bigger Picture
EU policies aim to:​
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Safeguard natural resources
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Boost circularity
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Ensure fair competition for European producers and industries
For Policymakers and Industry:
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Promote improved B2B collection of separately sorted straps.
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Encourage closed-loop collection schemes, ideally linked with PET or PP post-consumer waste.
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Support an EU-wide, harmonized, industry-led Extended Producer Responsability (EPR) system for strapping and similar packaging waste.
The Path Forward
Better collection = fewer landfills, less incineration
Closed-loop systems = smarter resource use
EPR schemes = shared responsability, greater accountability
Circular design = waste becomes a resource
