The Worst Of 2011: Plastic Moving Boxes

The moving business in Vancouver is beset with all manner of disingenuousness. Little however comes close to the merde de taureau perpetrated by companies promoting plastic moving boxes. Billed as an environmentally user-friendly alternative to cardboard boxes, these round trip totes are nothing more than greenwash writ large. I’ve written extensively about this scourge before, so for brevity I will articulate in point form.

(1) The refrain is generally the same for all companies promoting plastic moving boxes; they are “environmentally friendly”, but is this true? At first glance the idea of taking recyclable plastic and creating multiple use boxes does sound encouraging, but we can easily take recycled cardboard and make a similar claim. From this point the argument grows more opaque; for example, plastic is manufactured from a non renewable resource oil, whereas cardboard comes a renewable resource. Then the argument may diverge into the issue of product creation, does it take more energy to create a plastic box (gathering the plastic, melting it down, injecting the molds etc) or a cardboard one (cutting down the trees, driving or dragging them from the bush, creating pulp etc)? To my eye this part of the argument is a wash since most people lack the technical ability to know accurately which product/process is better. There is however one salient aspect of the environmental impact where there is no argument.

Empty plastic moving boxes are 8.4 pounds whereas a comparable cardboard moving box is 2.1 pounds. A net comparative difference of 6.3 pounds per box. So what is the big deal you ask? Let’s extrapolate: If there is a million plastic moving boxes in use in North America (and it’s likely there are 10x as many) 8.4 million pounds of plastic are being regularly transported around the continent, burning the required amount of fuel to get them from A to B. How many gallons of fuel? A thousand? Ten Thousand? And the result? An increase in greenhouse gases from burned fuel.

In a classic case of misdirection, plastic moving box companies draw your attention to the idea of using recycled plastic to give the impression of environmental friendliness all the while their product is doing exponential harm to the environment because of increased fuel consumption. But wait, there is more!

(2) Plastic moving boxes have a raised grid on the underside of the container that can scratch your hardwood floors.

(3) Slippery tapered sides on these boxes make them difficult to grasp from the bottom, additionally these tapered sides also prevent them from being put on a trolley (or hand cart).

(4) Since these boxes generally come in one size fits all, they tend to be overloaded. I’ve illustrated that a plastic moving box with books is in excess of 90 pounds! For comparison, a proper book box should weigh about 35 pounds.

(5) These boxes are created from a rigid plastic. If you bump a wall or strike a narrow door frame while carrying this box you will do damage, as opposed to a cardboard box which deflects.

(6) Cost. I’ve heard people tell me 25 plastic moving boxes cost about $100 delivered, however a quick check at Home Depot revealed recycled 3.0 cubic foot cardboard boxes cost only $1.49 ea.

(7) Plastic moving boxes are neither mover, cost, nor environmentally friendly. Do not be fooled, use proper sized recycled cardboard boxes.

* For an expanded discussion on the points above and more;

http://citymove.wordpress.com/2011/10/04/citymove-ca-moving-boxes-avoid-eco-friendly-plastic-moving-boxes/

http://citymove.wordpress.com/2010/10/08/citymove-ca-movers-vancouver-eco-friendly-plastic-moving-boxes-are-merde-de-taureau/

Plastic Moving Boxes Will Kill You (and ruin your floors too)!!!

How much does a plastic moving box full of books weigh?

Answer: Over 90 pounds!

How much does a proper book box weigh when filled?Answer: 36 pounds

At 2.5 times heavier than a proper book box, plastic moving crates are entirely inappropriate for moving books or any other heavy household items. Now I know what you are thinking; Nobody fills a large crate with books or cans or other heavy items? You better believe they do! We see it all the time and this is why proper moving boxes come in different sizes, to accommodate a range of household items. Now perhaps you aren’t too interested in the movers’ back, that is his job after all – to move heavy stuff. O.K., let me highlight an issue that may interest you.

Plastic moving boxes have a raised grid on the underside of the container, like this:

This raised grid, used presumably to prevent the crates from sliding around when they are stacked upon each other during transport, has the feel of 100 grit sand paper to the touch. Do you have any idea what happens when you load one of these plastic moving boxes with 90 pounds of books and slide it across your new hardwood floor? INSTANT DESTRUCTION! You’ ll leave more scratches than imaginable.

For some time now I’ve outlined the downsides of plastic moving boxes. Here is a brief summary so far;

1) Hard plastic tubs (PVC) are manufactured from petrochemicals; oil.

2) Each plastic moving box weighs almost 9 pound empty – meaning increased weight for your mover to lift and increased fuel consumption for the truck.

3) Slippery tapered sides make the crates very difficult to carry properly while protecting and isolating your back – one perceptive moving company in the U.S. called them “Workers Compensation Boxes” – and they are right!

4) The size and design of the plastic moving crate lends itself to significant overloading – e.g., a 90 pound book box.

5) The crates have a sand paper like grid on the bottom which can easily damage your wood floors.

Plastic moving crates are not a better way to move; they are complete rubbish in my opinion. Use proper sized cardboard boxes and avoid all the perils outlined above. For an expanded discussion of the points highlighted, please read my other posts on the topic;

http://citymove.wordpress.com/2010/10/

http://citymove.wordpress.com/2012/01/03/the-worst-of-2011-plastic-moving-boxes/

Plastic Moving Boxes In Vancouver? Just Say No!

What is the difference between plastic moving boxes and two minute noodles? Everyone knows two minute noodles are rubbish.

Recently there has been an onset of companies promoting the use of plastic moving boxes as environmentally friendly and convenient, but are plastic tubs a preferable option to cardboard boxes? I would argue no, as they are neither eco nor mover friendly.

Hard plastic tubs (PVC) are manufactured from petrochemicals; oil. The same substance recently described as having caused a human, economic and environmental catastrophe. If this is not enough food for thought consider these facts.

A common size for “eco friendly” plastic moving boxes is around 23″ long by 19″ wide and 12″ deep. Also known as a round trip tote, this 2.7 cubic foot container is nine pounds empty, however a 3.0 cubic foot cardboard moving box is only 2.1 pounds. If you were to use 40 boxes for your one bedroom apartment, which is not extraordinary, the difference between plastic v. cardboard would be a significant 280 pound net [40 plastic containers x nine pounds each = 360 lbs. 40 cardboard boxes @ 2.1 lbs = 80.4 lbs.  360 - 80 = 280 lbs]! A substantive 280 pounds of added weight for your movers to load/unload and, 280 lbs of additional load on the truck engine. The result? Increased fuel consumption on every move in the city, throughout the province and across the country. But wait!

In an earlier blog post I had discussed the use of plastic moving crates from a professional mover’s perspective. Having seen them more often, a couple of points are worth reiterating. The heavier your job is the slower it will go. Also, the tubs are poorly designed for the real process of moving as they lend themselves to overloading. Additionally the slippery tapered sides prevent a mover from lifting and grasping it from the bottom, leaving only hand holds on the top side of the crate for leverage. This is akin to lifting a heavy weight out of the trunk of your car: your lower back is always vulnerable. In light of this, we handle all heavy plastic bins with two men for safety.

If plastic moving boxes are to supplant cardboard in the future they must move toward constructing the tubs in a similar shape as two and four cubic foot cardboard boxes, the same way the current dish pack copied an old school tea-chest. Otherwise, the combination of an awkward shape, significant tare weight and environmental impact will make them untenable for long-term growth in the market place.

*Update 2011* Please visit our new blog post on the subject: http://citymove.wordpress.com/2011/10/04/plastic-moving-boxes-will-kill-you-and-ruin-your-floors-too-2/

Paper vs. Plastic

An integral part of the moving process involves preparation. This preparation has many elements; from hiring a mover and reserving an elevator to packing the contents of your place. Boxes, packing paper, tape, and mattress bags are just a few of the essential ingredients. In the past, people generally purchased new boxes from storage facilities, big box stores, their moving company, or they gathered used ones. Recently however, there has been a new option: plastic containers. Under a variety of company names these plastic crates have been billed as an economical and environmentally friendly alternative to cardboard. But how useful are they for the actual process of moving?

There are some positive and negative points when it comes to moving with plastic crates. The initial plus is that most of the companies deliver the crates to your home. Additionally no set up is required, just open the lid and away you go! Once they are filled, you can stack them uniformly in the corner.

On moving day, the merits of the plastic crate is put to the test. The first issue: the crates come in one size only. Your typical inner city move needs at least two sizes, one for books (heavy items) and another for general household goods. Every time I’ve moved these plastic crates they have been overloaded. One size definitely doesn’t fit all, though, it’s not always a problem. For example, if both ends of the move have an elevator, an exceptionally heavy crate is ok. The crate goes onto a four wheel board, into the elevator, and up the ramp to the truck.

If there are stairs however, the difficulty of moving an overloaded crate becomes obvious. First, the weight of the crate itself – it can be the equivalent of a 3.5 cubic ft box filled with books. Second, the design of the crate is problematic. A large cardboard box for moving (think china barrel) is designed to be tall and narrow, whereas the plastic tub is low and wide. This low wide crate has hand holds on the top, and slippery tapered sides, which makes it difficult to hold from the bottom. This is an issue particularly when climbing stairs, as a heavy weight needs to be grasped from underneath. Additionally, todays apartments and condos have a variety of door widths. Because the crates are low are wide, you often have to turn your body slightly when carrying through a doorway to prevent scraping your hands. This can put an uneven load on the back, which is never a good thing.

If you are moving and have elevators on both ends – and no stairs in between – then plastic crates are a reasonable  alternative to cardboard boxes.  However, if your move involves stairs of any kind, multi sized cardboard boxes may be a better choice.

For professional advice about moving and the use of  plastic boxes, please contact the best Movers in Vancouver: CityMOVE.ca.

* Update 2011. Please visit the following links for an expanded discussion on the topic:

http://citymove.wordpress.com/2011/10/04/citymove-ca-moving-boxes-avoid-eco-friendly-plastic-moving-boxes/

http://citymove.wordpress.com/2010/10/08/citymove-ca-movers-vancouver-eco-friendly-plastic-moving-boxes-are-merde-de-taureau/