A municipal waste authority in north-west Germany has replaced wire mesh collection containers with reusable plastic pallet boxes as part of an effort to streamline the collection of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) at its recycling centres.
Abfallwirtschaftsbetrieb Emsland, which manages public recycling and waste disposal services in Germany’s Emsland district, now uses approximately 150 Craemer CB3 pallet boxes to collect small electrical appliances from residents. The boxes serve as removable collection containers inside enclosed recycling stations and are exchanged when full.
Replacing Wire Mesh Boxes
Previously, the authority relied on wire mesh containers lined with plastic film to prevent smaller electronic items from falling through the openings. While functional, the system required workers to install, inspect and remove the liners, creating additional labour while generating plastic film waste.
The wire mesh design also created operational challenges if liners became damaged, allowing small components to escape or become lodged in the mesh.
The solid-wall CB3 pallet box eliminates the need for disposable liners by providing a fully enclosed container. Once filled, the boxes can be removed directly by forklift, replaced with empty units, transported and temporarily stored without additional preparation.
Simplifying Recycling Centre Operations
According to the organizations, the change has simplified several aspects of daily operations, including collection box exchanges, internal transport and temporary storage.
Because the CB3 is compatible with forklift handling and can be stacked when necessary, the boxes integrate with existing site logistics while reducing manual handling.
Abfallwirtschaftsbetrieb Emsland reports that the system is now in use across several municipal recycling centres throughout the district.
“The stability and feel are excellent, and the product is very durable and robust,” said Serina Hofschlag of Abfallwirtschaftsbetrieb Emsland.
Focus on Durability and Efficiency
Craemer said the application demonstrates that heavy-duty pallet boxes can serve municipal recycling operations as well as traditional industrial material handling applications.
“Municipal waste management operators are looking for solutions that work reliably and make day-to-day handling at recycling centres easier,” said Michael Winter, Head of Sales for Waste Management Systems at Craemer. “The CB3 combines robustness, stackability and ease of handling, and has proven its worth at Abfallwirtschaftsbetrieb Emsland for the collection of small waste electrical appliances.”
In addition to eliminating disposable film liners, the organization said the new system helps keep collection areas cleaner while reducing the amount of consumable material required.
Hofschlag added that, based on the authority’s experience, the pallet boxes could also benefit other municipal waste management organizations seeking durable, efficient collection equipment.
Rick LeBlanc, EMBA, is the founder and editor of Reusable Packaging News (subscribe to the free newsletter) and editor of Western Pallet Magazine. A supply chain journalist with more than 30 years of experience, he specializes in pallets, reusable packaging, material handling and related operations. Rick is co-author of Pallets: A North American Perspective and Pallets & Progress: A Collected History of Pallets and Palletized Handling 1922–1945. He is also an advisory board member of the Virginia Tech Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design. Read Rick’s full bio.
