At “ Dual Carbon ”  Driven by sustainability goals and green logistics policies, heavy-duty shelving—essential core equipment for warehousing—has seen its environmentally friendly materials become a critical factor in corporate procurement decisions. High-quality, eco-friendly shelving not only requires minimizing resource consumption through material selection but also integrating low-carbon principles throughout the entire lifecycle: from production and usage to recycling. This article analyzes the environmental characteristics of mainstream materials, reviews domestic and international eco-friendly standards, and ultimately recommends benchmark products that meet industry regulations, offering valuable guidance for practical applications across the sector.

I. In-depth Analysis of the Eco-Friendly Features of Mainstream Materials for Heavy-Duty Racks

The environmental friendliness of heavy-duty shelving materials is reflected in dimensions such as recyclability, production energy consumption, pollutant emissions, and lifecycle length. Currently, the mainstream materials on the market are primarily metal-based, complemented by eco-friendly plastics; however, the environmental performance varies significantly depending on the material used.

1.1 Metal Materials: Balancing Recyclability with Low-Carbon Processes

Metal is the core material for heavy-duty shelving, with steel and aluminum alloys being the preferred choices due to their balanced strength and eco-friendly properties, while titanium alloys remain in the exploration phase for high-end applications.

• High-strength steel : As the most commonly used material, its environmental advantages lie primarily in its high recyclability (with a recycling rate exceeding 95% ) With room for process upgrades. Cold-rolled steel sheet production consumes significantly less energy compared to the hot-rolled process. 15%-20% , and through lightweight design (such as Q345 The application of high-strength steel (grade) can reduce the total weight of the shelving. 18% , indirectly reducing carbon emissions during the transportation and installation phases. The environmental transformation of surface treatment processes is a key breakthrough—environmentally friendly powder coatings have already seen their usage rate increase from 2020  Year's 68% Rise to 2023  Year's 93% , effectively replacing traditional solvent-based coatings and reducing VOCs Emission excess 80%。
• Aluminum alloy : Standing out with its lightweight and recyclability advantages, recycled aluminum production saves more resources compared to primary aluminum manufacturing. 95% Its energy consumption is minimal, and it can be recycled infinitely without any loss of performance. In special environments such as humid or medical settings, the corrosion resistance of aluminum alloy shelving can extend its service life significantly. 15  For more than a year, significantly outperforming ordinary steel shelving 50% , reducing resource waste caused by redundant production.
• Titanium alloy : Possessing high strength and low weight characteristics, yet due to their production process requiring relatively high energy consumption—approximately that of steel 3 Currently, it is applied only in high-end, precision warehousing scenarios. As smelting technology advances, its environmental costs are gradually decreasing, making it poised to become one of the green upgrade pathways in the future.

1.2 Plastic Materials: A Key Consideration for Eco-Friendly Selection of Auxiliary Components

Plastic is widely used for auxiliary components such as shelf beam connectors and cushioning parts, and its environmental friendliness primarily depends on whether recyclable materials are employed and whether production processes meet eco-friendly standards.

Polyethylene PE ) With polypropylene ( PP ) is the mainstream eco-friendly choice—these materials not only boast excellent wear resistance and impact strength but also enable resource recycling through recovery and regeneration. High-quality, environmentally friendly plastic components must meet EU standards. REACH Regulatory restrictions on chemicals prohibit heavy metals and toxic additives, while some high-end products even achieve biodegradability, further minimizing their environmental impact after disposal.

1.3 Material Environmental Performance Comparison Table

Data Source: Original Power Document, “ 2025 "Research Report on Environmental Standards and Certification Systems for the Intelligent Warehouse Racking Industry," and "How to Choose Materials for Heavy-Duty Warehouse Racking Production," presented by JianDaoYun

II. A Comprehensive Overview of Environmental Standards and Certification Systems for Heavy-Duty Racking

Environmental standards and certifications are the core criteria for assessing the compliance of shelf products. Both domestically and internationally, a multi-level, comprehensive regulatory system has been established, setting clear requirements that span from materials and production all the way to the recycling process.

2.1 Analysis of International Core Environmental Standards

International standards focus on chemical restrictions, environmental management, and product lifecycle assessments, with the EU and U.S. standards being the most stringent—and serving as critical entry barriers for cross-border trade.

• ISO 14001 Environmental Management System : Covering the entire production process of shelf products, the initiative requires companies to establish management mechanisms for carbon emission accounting, waste disposal, and more. Enterprises that achieve this certification can significantly reduce pollutant emissions during production. 30% That's all.
• European Union REACH Regulations : Strictly limit harmful chemicals in shelf coatings and materials, such as hexavalent chromium and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and require that the content of heavy metal ions be below 0.5mg/L , it has now become a mandatory requirement for shelves exported to Europe.
• United States OSHA With FM Certification ： OSHA Mandatory requirements for dust and noise control during the shelf production process PM2.5 Must comply with ISO 14644-8 Level standard), FM Certification sets specific criteria for fire-resistant and eco-friendly materials, and products with dual certification can command a premium in the North American market. 15%-20% 。

2.2 Domestic Environmental Standards and Policy Support

The domestic standard system, combined with industry realities, has taken shape. “ National Standard +  Industry Standards +  Policy Guidance ”  The three-tiered architecture drives the green transformation of the shelf industry.

• Core Standards ： GB/T 25800 "The General Technical Specifications for Storage Racks" explicitly require that the recyclability of rack materials must be no less than 90% , the surface treatment process must comply with the national emission standards for air pollutants; meanwhile, the "Green Warehouse Rack Evaluation Standard" sets criteria from four dimensions: design, production, usage, and recycling. 18  Environmental performance indicators allow qualified products to be included in the Green Logistics Equipment Recommendation Catalog.
• Policy-driven Policies such as the "Green Logistics Action Plan" and the "Opinions on Accelerating the Development of Green Logistics" provide enterprises adopting eco-friendly shelving with up to 3000 Ten thousand yuan /  The project's smart manufacturing subsidy directly boosted the usage ratio of lightweight, high-strength steel materials from 2020  Year's 42% Rise to 2023  Year's 61%。

2.3 Environmental Certification System Classification and Its Value

III. Recommended Heavy-Duty Racking Products That Meet Environmental Standards

Based on material eco-friendliness, compliance with standards, and feedback from market applications, we recommend three benchmark products below that cater to different scenarios—each of which has passed rigorous testing and certification for its environmental performance indicators.

3.1 General industrial applications: High-strength, low-carbon steel shelving

These products feature high-strength cold-rolled steel as their core material, making them suitable for versatile warehousing applications such as manufacturing and general logistics—while striking a balance between environmental sustainability and cost-effectiveness.

• Recommended Products : Guangdong Xiada Heavy-Duty Beam Rack XD -235 Series)
  • Environmental Highlight: Adopting Q235 High-strength, lightweight steel that reduces unit load energy consumption compared to traditional shelving. 18% ; The surface features an eco-friendly powder coating, VOCs Emissions are lower than 5mg/m³ , significantly better than the national standard ( 30 mg/m³ ); The detachable modular design enables a recycling rate of 95%。
  • Meets the standard: ISO 14001 Certification, GB/T 25800-2023 Standards, REACH The regulations have no chromium requirements.
  • Application Case: After adopting this shelving system, a certain automotive parts company reduced its annual energy consumption for warehousing. 26 Ten thousand yuan, receiving local government subsidies through environmental certification 80  Ten thousand yuan.

3.2 Special Environmental Scenario: Regenerated Aluminum Alloy Shelving

For special scenarios such as humidity and corrosion, regenerative aluminum alloy shelving stands out as the preferred choice due to its weather resistance and high recyclability.

• Recommended Products : Yinfei Storage Shuttle-Type Aluminum Alloy Shelving ($10,000) AS-AL Series)
  • Environmental Highlights: 85% The components are made from recycled aluminum alloy, reducing emissions during the production phase. 70% Carbon emissions; equipped with an IoT-based energy consumption monitoring module, it optimizes access routes in real time, further reducing operational energy consumption. 15% ; The shelf has a service life of up to 20  The value of recycling is significant this year.
  • Meets the standard: CQC Product environmental certification, European Union E*635 Certification, "Green Warehouse Rack Evaluation Standard"
  • Application Case: JD Logistics' North China Cold-Chain Warehouse adopts this shelving system, - 20℃ Operating stably under the given environment, with reduced annual maintenance costs 40% , waste emissions reduced 90%。

3.3 High-end export scenario: Fully compliant precision shelving

Targeting high-eco-standard markets such as Europe and North America, these products are fully compliant with international regulations in terms of materials and manufacturing processes.

• Recommended Products : Xiangzhe Warehousing REACH Compliance Heavy-Duty Racks XZ-EU Series)
  • Environmental Highlight: Adopting electrogalvanizing to replace the traditional hot-dip galvanizing process, reducing heavy metal emissions to… 0.3 mg/L ; The overall structure is achieved through FM Fire-resistant certification, coating meets REACH 209 Restrictions on certain chemicals; equipped with PM2.5 Filter systems, achieving cleanliness levels during production and installation ISO 14644-8 Tier standards.
  • Meets the standard: REACH Regulations, OSHA Safety and environmental standards, United States FM Certification
  • Application Case: A cross-border logistics company successfully entered the EU market by utilizing this shelving system, effectively avoiding… 30% Anti-dumping taxes and environmental compliance are becoming core competitive advantages.

3.4 Recommended Summary Table of Mainstream Eco-Friendly Shelf Products

Conclusion

The eco-friendly upgrade of heavy-duty shelving has already begun. “ Optional items ”  Transform into “ Required item ” , with the core lying in the dual breakthroughs of material selection and process innovation. When making purchases, companies should prioritize considering ISO 14001 、 CQC Products that have received authoritative certifications and are made from lightweight, highly recyclable materials. In the future, as new eco-friendly materials like carbon fiber are integrated with digital twin technology, shelves will achieve “ Zero-Carbon Throughout the Entire Lifecycle ”  The goal is to provide core support for building a green warehousing system.