diff --git a/blob.go b/blob.go
index 1668a6a..84b704a 100644
--- a/blob.go
+++ b/blob.go
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/destel/rill"
 	"google.golang.org/protobuf/proto"
 
+	"m4o.io/pbf/internal/core"
 	"m4o.io/pbf/protobuf"
 )
 
@@ -38,7 +39,8 @@ type blob struct {
 
 func generate(ctx context.Context, reader io.Reader) func(yield func(enc blob, err error) bool) {
 	return func(yield func(enc blob, err error) bool) {
-		buffer := bytes.NewBuffer(make([]byte, 0, DefaultBufferSize))
+		buffer := core.NewPooledBuffer()
+		defer buffer.Close()
 
 		for {
 			select {
@@ -81,10 +83,8 @@ func decode(array []blob) (out <-chan rill.Try[[]Object]) {
 	go func() {
 		defer close(ch)
 
-		buf := bytes.NewBuffer(make([]byte, 0, DefaultBufferSize))
-
 		for _, enc := range array {
-			elements, err := extract(enc.header, enc.blob, buf)
+			elements, err := extract(enc.header, enc.blob)
 			if err != nil {
 				slog.Error(err.Error())
 				ch <- rill.Try[[]Object]{Error: err}
@@ -93,8 +93,6 @@ func decode(array []blob) (out <-chan rill.Try[[]Object]) {
 			}
 
 			ch <- rill.Try[[]Object]{Value: elements}
-
-			buf.Reset()
 		}
 	}()
 
@@ -103,7 +101,7 @@ func decode(array []blob) (out <-chan rill.Try[[]Object]) {
 
 // readBlobHeader unmarshals a header from an array of protobuf encoded bytes.
 // The header is used when decoding blobs into OSM elements.
-func readBlobHeader(buffer *bytes.Buffer, rdr io.Reader) (header *protobuf.BlobHeader, err error) {
+func readBlobHeader(buffer *core.PooledBuffer, rdr io.Reader) (header *protobuf.BlobHeader, err error) {
 	var size uint32
 
 	err = binary.Read(rdr, binary.BigEndian, &size)
@@ -128,7 +126,7 @@ func readBlobHeader(buffer *bytes.Buffer, rdr io.Reader) (header *protobuf.BlobH
 
 // readBlob unmarshals a blob from an array of protobuf encoded bytes.  The
 // blob still needs to be decoded into OSM elements using decode().
-func readBlob(buffer *bytes.Buffer, rdr io.Reader, header *protobuf.BlobHeader) (*protobuf.Blob, error) {
+func readBlob(buffer *core.PooledBuffer, rdr io.Reader, header *protobuf.BlobHeader) (*protobuf.Blob, error) {
 	size := header.GetDatasize()
 
 	buffer.Reset()
@@ -149,7 +147,7 @@ func readBlob(buffer *bytes.Buffer, rdr io.Reader, header *protobuf.BlobHeader)
 // elements unmarshals an array of OSM elements from an array of protobuf encoded
 // bytes.  The bytes could possibly be compressed; zlibBuf is used to facilitate
 // decompression.
-func extract(header *protobuf.BlobHeader, blob *protobuf.Blob, zlibBuf *bytes.Buffer) ([]Object, error) {
+func extract(header *protobuf.BlobHeader, blob *protobuf.Blob) ([]Object, error) {
 	var buf []byte
 
 	switch {
@@ -157,6 +155,9 @@ func extract(header *protobuf.BlobHeader, blob *protobuf.Blob, zlibBuf *bytes.Bu
 		buf = blob.GetRaw()
 
 	case blob.ZlibData != nil:
+		zlibBuf := core.NewPooledBuffer()
+		defer zlibBuf.Close()
+
 		r, err := zlib.NewReader(bytes.NewReader(blob.GetZlibData()))
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
diff --git a/decoder.go b/decoder.go
index 9ccee84..3aa05d2 100644
--- a/decoder.go
+++ b/decoder.go
@@ -15,19 +15,19 @@
 package pbf
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"reflect"
 	"runtime"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/destel/rill"
+
+	"m4o.io/pbf/internal/core"
 )
 
 const (
-	bufferSize = 1024
-
 	// DefaultBufferSize is the default buffer size for protobuf un-marshaling.
 	DefaultBufferSize = 1024 * 1024
 
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ func NewDecoder(ctx context.Context, rdr io.Reader, opts ...DecoderOption) (*Dec
 
 	blobs := rill.FromSeq2(generate(ctx, rdr))
 
-	batches := rill.Batch(blobs, cfg.protoBatchSize, -1)
+	batches := rill.Batch(blobs, cfg.protoBatchSize, time.Second)
 
 	objects := rill.FlatMap(batches, int(cfg.nCPU), decode)
 
@@ -136,7 +136,8 @@ func (d *Decoder) Close() {
 }
 
 func (d *Decoder) loadHeader(reader io.Reader) error {
-	buf := bytes.NewBuffer(make([]byte, 0, DefaultBufferSize))
+	buf := core.NewPooledBuffer()
+	defer buf.Close()
 
 	h, err := readBlobHeader(buf, reader)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -148,7 +149,7 @@ func (d *Decoder) loadHeader(reader io.Reader) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	e, err := extract(h, b, bytes.NewBuffer(make([]byte, 0, bufferSize)))
+	e, err := extract(h, b)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/internal/core/buffer.go b/internal/core/buffer.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9c611a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/core/buffer.go
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+// Copyright 2017-24 the original author or authors.
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package core
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"sync"
+)
+
+var bufferPool = sync.Pool{
+	New: func() any {
+		return bytes.NewBuffer(make([]byte, 0, 1024))
+	},
+}
+
+type PooledBuffer struct {
+	*bytes.Buffer
+}
+
+func NewPooledBuffer() *PooledBuffer {
+	return &PooledBuffer{Buffer: bufferPool.Get().(*bytes.Buffer)}
+}
+
+func (b *PooledBuffer) Close() error {
+	b.Reset()
+	bufferPool.Put(b.Buffer)
+	return nil
+}