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Can you recycle plastic pallets? Here is the checklist

Last reviewed Nov 12, 20269 stages

The short answer

You can recycle plastic pallets if you do six things: count them, find the resin, check for owner marks, remove wood and metal, photograph them, and describe the load.

Here is the checklist.

Got a load like this?

Five questions and a photo. We say what we think happens next once the pallets have been seen.

Send a load Find your area

A pallet is shredded and ground to flake, sorted by resin and colour, and moulded into a pallet again.

1. Count

How many, and what size. A rough count is fine. An exact count helps.

2. Find the resin

Look for a code. 2 is HDPE. 5 is PP. If there is none, photograph a runner.

3. Check for marks

Names, logos, plates, RFID. Set any marked pallet apart.

4. Strip it

Remove wood, metal, loose labels and strapping. Don’t scrub. Dry dirt can stay.

5. Photograph

One of the stack. One of the worst damage. One of any mark.

6. Describe

Use the form. Say it in plain words. If you do not know something, say not sure.

Common mistakes

Counting pallets as one number when they are several sizes. Assuming black means HDPE. Skipping the marks. Forgetting to photograph the underside.

How long it takes

The steps above take an hour or two for a typical pile. The wait is in the routing and the freight, which we do not time.

After you describe it

We read the description and say what we think happens next. If we need more, we ask.

The six-step checklist

Step	Done when
Count	You have a number and a size
Resin	You have a code or a photo
Marks	Marked pallets are apart
Strip	No wood or metal
Photograph	Stack, damage, marks
Describe	Form sent

What the sources say

blog.containerexchanger.comNorth American plastic pallets in the common sizes are about 5 to 6 in tall.
en.wikipedia.orgMetal pallets are under 1 percent of the pallet market.
nelsoncompany.com48 x 48 plastic pallets hold four 55-gallon drums without overhang; 48 x 45 matches North American auto parts bulk containers.
nelsoncompany.comOnly pallets designed for unsupported racking carry a racking rating.
en.wikipedia.orgNFPA requires wood and plastic pallets to be stored outdoors or in a detached structure unless sprinklers protect them.
aphis.usda.govUSDA APHIS lists plastic pallets among products not subject to APHIS regulation, as an alternative to wood packaging material.
en.wikipedia.orgSteel, aluminum, plastic and engineered-wood pallets are exempt from ISPM 15; wood must reach a core temperature of 56 C for at least 30 minutes for heat treatment.
iccsafe.orgThe International Fire Code permits pallets listed and labeled under FM 4996 or UL 2335 to be treated as wood pallets for sprinkler design.
en.wikipedia.orgThe 48 x 40 in GMA pallet makes up about 30 percent of new US wood pallets.
iccsafe.orgA 2010 insurer figure cited by ICC puts fire spread to a pallet above at about 18 minutes for plastic versus nearly 50 for wood.
en.wikipedia.orgResin identification codes do not indicate whether a product is recyclable; ASTM D7611 governs the coding.
en.wikipedia.orgHDPE has resin identification code 2, a density of 930 to 970 kg/m3, melts at 131.8 C and is hard to glue, so joints are usually welded.
phsinc.comPHS lists 48 x 40 stackable plastic pallets with dynamic ratings of 2,500 to 5,000 lb and static ratings of 3,000 to 30,000 lb.
en.wikipedia.orgPlastic pallets can deform (creep) under heavy long-term loads and are hard to repair.

Terms on this page

Ownership check: Our first step with any pallet that carries a name, logo, tag or colour that suggests another owner.
HDPE: High-density polyethylene, resin code 2. The most common resin in plastic pallets; tough and moisture resistant.
PP: Polypropylene. More rigid than HDPE and better with heat and harsh chemicals; used where rack stiffness matters.
Runners: Bottom rails that touch the floor or rack and carry the load.
RFID tag: A small radio tag moulded or fixed into a pallet so that its owner can track it.
RFID: Radio tag moulded or fixed into a pallet so it can be tracked.

Questions people ask

Can you recycle plastic pallets at home?

No. They are a commercial stream.

Is a drop-off needed?

There is no public yard.

What if I only have a few?

Send them anyway. We say if there is a better route.

Do I need to clean the pallets first?

Not necessarily. Say how dirty they are, and let the recycler decide.

Can I do this without photos?

Yes, but photos make the description faster and more accurate.

Sources, reviewed Nov 12, 2026: Wikipedia, resin identification code; Wikipedia, high-density polyethylene.