I have a big problem with what to do with old art shipping crates and was hoping to get some ideas what others are doing about disposing of them. We have a very active loan program here at the MFAH and as is common in the industry, usually have high quality shipping crates made for our objects being transported to other venues. Once the objects have returned, we are faced with the dilemma of what to do with the old shipping crates. Many we hold on to for indefinite periods of time in the hope that it will go out on loan again soon and we can reuse the crate. I’m forming some solutions for our storage needs and was trying to come up with a way to deal with these expensive, shipping crates we no longer need that isn’t based on “hope”. Keeping the crates, even for short periods of time after they return, is expensive and time consuming and I was wondering if some of my more creative colleagues out there may have a better solution than hauling them to the landfill. I have explored other options of recycling but was wondering how many of you were experiencing the same problems and what options you were exploring? Other than reuse, what other recycling solutions have you found helpful?

Thanks,

Richard Hinson
Senior Preparator
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
(713) 639-7734
(281) 330-7260 cell