Source: LATAM Cargo
At last week’s IATA World Cargo Symposium (WCS), LATAM Cargo highlighted a series of recently implemented environmental initiatives around its use of pallets.
During the event, the cargo business highlighted its circular economy initiatives around the responsible reuse of wood.
Daniel Leng, chief operating officer, LATAM Cargo Group, told attendees that in Miami, the group had implemented a system to collect, assess, repair, and reintroduce leftover wooden skids into daily operations.
If a skid is beyond repair, it is sent for recycling. Since the start of the programme, the initiative has eliminated the need for 117 tons of new wood annually and reduced imported wood purchases by 50% — equivalent to 405 tons.
Meanwhile, in Chile, the company replaced wooden skids used in domestic cargo operations with custom-designed plastic ones, made from recycled beverage crates in partnership with a local recycler.
These red, weather-resistant skids have eliminated the use of an additional 30 tons of wood per year while improving reuse and tracking, Leng said.
“These projects didn’t require complex technology—just people committed to doing things better,” said Leng. “Sustainability starts with simple actions and a genuine will to improve.”
Beyond operational reuse, LATAM has extended the life cycle of recovered wood through community-focused initiatives.
In Colombia, wood collected from cargo processes is transformed into furniture and decorative items for company facilities.
In Chile, employees can apply to reuse this wood for personal or community projects — from building terraces to constructing playgrounds and small housing structures—repurposing around 60 tons of wood each year.
”Altogether, these actions have helped reduce or recover more than 600 tons of wood annually in LATAM’ s cargo operations in these countries,” the airline said.
