Top Washington, D.C. Talk Radio Host Rick Fowler Spotlights Alarming, Deadly Bacteria Discovered on Wood Pallets
ORLANDO, FL, November 25, 2009 – America’s supply chain could be made safer were the wood pallet industry to follow its own guidelines, iGPS Chairman and CEO Bob Moore told Washington, D.C.’s leading radio talk show host Rick Fowler during a recent interview in which Moore discussed the findings of the company's limited random testing of wood pallets. According to the study, one third of the pallets sampled tested positive for one or more of Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria. Moore commented that if the wooden pallet industry followed the guidelines it has set for itself, such as storing pallets indoors, cleaning pallets after each use and removing protruding nails and rough cuts, it could reduce, but not eliminate, contamination risks.
The interview, which aired on November 14th during Fowler’s “Saturday Morning Update” on WMAL AM 630, can be heard by clicking the controls below.
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During his interview, Moore described the test results of the samples taken from wood pallets in the Washington and Baltimore metropolitan areas. He explained what the results mean to consumers and the nation’s food supply, particularly in light of the fact that there are more than one billion wooden pallets in circulation today, some of which have been in use, and harboring bacteria, for twenty years.
The test was commissioned by iGPS, operator of the world's first pallet rental service providing shippers and receivers with all-plastic pallets with embedded RFID tags.
"The only way we can protect our food supplies is if we understand the risks that threaten them. Our findings reveal that wood pallets pose potentially deadly risks to the fruit, produce, and other food products that are shipped on them every day,” Moore said. “We are grateful for this opportunity to share our perspective on this important issue with Rick Fowler and his listeners,” Moore added.
There have been numerous reports about the risks associated with wood pallets in the news recently. For example, Congress has held numerous hearings on new legislation to mandate the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to improve the traceability of food from farm to table. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, too, is investigating alternatives to wood pallets and other wood packaging materials because wood harbors and transports dangerous pests that destroy forests and farmland.
About iGPS
iGPS operates the world's first pallet rental service providing shippers and receivers with all-plastic pallets with embedded RFID tags. iGPS' state-of-the-art pallets are 30 percent lighter than wood, which saves on transport costs and helps reduce green house gases. Its pallets are also more hygienic, easier to handle and, because they eliminate protruding nails and splinters, reduce workplace injuries and damaged equipment. Embedded RFID tags enable shippers and receivers to track and trace shipments in real time. And iGPS pallets are 100% recyclable. Launched in March 2006, the company is led by pallet and supply chain veterans with decades of experience. iGPS (www.igps.net) is headquartered in Orlando, FL.
