Bulletin 045 · guides

Who recycles plastic pallets?

Last reviewed Nov 12, 20267 stages

The short answer

Three kinds of company recycle plastic pallets: processors that grind them, moulders that use the regrind, and pallet makers that take their own pallets back. Many projects use all three.

We sort the load and route it to the right one.

Got a load like this?

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

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

Processors and reclaimers

They sort, clean and grind. The Association of Plastic Recyclers has 80+ reclaimers and more than 300 member companies. Some handle only bottles. Some handle industrial scrap.

Moulders and extruders

They melt and form regrind. A moulder can turn pallet HDPE into new pallets, bins or industrial parts. They care about resin, colour and consistency.

Pallet makers with take-back

Greystone Logistics buys damaged pallets as feedstock. Rehrig Pacific runs a buyback programme. Cabka and Renewi close the loop in recycled polyethylene.

Us

We sort loads and route them. We do not run a public yard. We do not claim a plant.

How to tell a good processor

They ask what the pallets are, where they came from and who owns them. They tell you what they will do with the flake. They do not promise before they have seen the load.

Where makers fit

A maker that takes back its own pallets is a recycler of its own product. A maker that buys regrind is a customer of the processor. Some do both.

Where we fit

We describe loads, check for marks and route them. We do not grind, mould or own a fleet.

Who does what

Who	Does	Wants
Processor	Sorts and grinds	Single resin, few contaminants
Moulder	Melts and forms	Consistent flake
Pallet maker	Takes back damaged pallets	Own style first
Pool operator	Collects its own pallets	Marked pallets back

What the sources say

en.wikipedia.orgAbout 500 million pallets are made each year as of 2020, with about 2 billion in use in the US.
cabka.comCabka says plastic export pallets are exempt from ISPM-15 treatment, that there is no single export size, and that its nestable export designs include extra-lightweight and air-freight versions.
en.wikipedia.orgThe 48 x 40 in GMA pallet makes up about 30 percent of new US wood pallets.
en.wikipedia.orgNFPA requires wood and plastic pallets to be stored outdoors or in a detached structure unless sprinklers protect them.
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.
aphis.usda.govUSDA APHIS lists plastic pallets among products not subject to APHIS regulation, as an alternative to wood packaging material.
palletenterprise.comCHEP USA sued two California recyclers over CHEP-marked pallets they would not return; a Los Angeles court granted CHEP's motion to retrieve pallets in one case (article dated February 1, 2024).
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.
nelsoncompany.comStatic capacity is the highest of the three ratings; racking is often the lowest; dynamic is always lower than static.
resource-recycling.comIn April 2017, HDPE HMW regrind from drums and IBCs was 24 to 27 cents per pound picked up in the US South (historical, not current).
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.
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.

Terms on this page

Moulder: A manufacturer that melts regrind or pellets and forms them into parts, such as pallets.
Regrind: Plastic ground from used or scrap parts into flakes for moulding again.
Extrusion: Pushing melted plastic through a die to make a continuous shape, often pellets or sheet.
HDPE: High-density polyethylene, resin code 2. The most common resin in plastic pallets; tough and moisture resistant.
Pooled pallet: A pallet owned by a rental pool and lent to users, who are expected to return it, not scrap it.
Pooling: Renting pallets from a company that owns, tracks and collects them instead of buying.
Flake: The small, irregular pieces a granulator makes. Flake is regrind before it is sold or melted.
Ownership check: Our first step with any pallet that carries a name, logo, tag or colour that suggests another owner.

Questions people ask

Who takes scrap plastic pallets?

Processors, moulders and some pallet makers.

Can I find one near me?

Use the area pages.

Do recyclers take wood?

Some do. This site does not.

Can I send pallets to a maker directly?

Some makers take back their own pallets. Ask the maker.

Are there national recyclers?

We name none. Processors and moulders are regional and specialised.

Sources, reviewed Nov 12, 2026: Association of Plastic Recyclers; Resource Recycling, Greystone Logistics; Rehrig Pacific, sustainability; Material District, Eco CP3 pallet.