Loads taken by ZIP, nationwideinfo@plasticpalletrecyclers.com
Plastic Pallet
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Bulletin 052 · send a load

Send us the load

Last reviewed Nov 12, 20264 stages
The short answer

Send us the load. Answer five questions, see which sort bin the load would go to, then send the request with those answers filled in.

This is a sort, not an offer. We say what we think happens next once the pallets have been seen.

Send the load

Tell us what is in the pile. We say what we think happens next, once the pallets have been seen.

How full is the trailer?
What resin are the pallets?
Sound or broken?
Photos of the stack and the trailer help. Email them to info@plasticpalletrecyclers.com after you send.
Load request

Request received

We read every request ourselves. We will come back with what we think happens to the load, and what we still need to see.

Nothing here is an offer or an acceptance. A load is accepted only after the pallets have been seen.
RetiredGroundSortedRemoulded
A pallet is shredded and ground to flake, sorted by resin and colour, and moulded into a pallet again.

Tell us the pile

Five answers. We say which sort bin the load would go to and what to photograph. No price, no promise.

How full is the trailer?
What resin are the pallets?
What shape are they in?
What colours are in the load?
Any other company’s name or an RFID tag?
Sort ticketNot an offer

    Photograph:

      The five questions

      Trailer fill, resin, condition, colour and whether any pallets carry another company’s name or RFID. They take under a minute. Not sure is a valid answer to every one.

      The three bins

      Regrind for cracked, burnt and crushed pallets without marks. Reuse and repair first for sound pallets without marks. Ownership check first for anything marked or unknown. The sorter picks one and says why.

      Photos

      The sorter lists what to photograph. Email the photos to the address on the form. Two good photos beat a paragraph.

      After you send

      We read every request ourselves. We come back with what we think happens next and what we still need to see. The ticket on screen is a record of your answers and nothing more.

      What each answer does

      AnswerIt changesNot sure means
      Trailer fillHow we size the jobWe size it from photos
      ResinHDPE and PP are sorted apartWe read the part
      ConditionReuse or regrindWe look at it
      ColourThe type of regrindWe read it from photos
      MarksWhether the load is yours to sendOwnership check first

      What the sources say

      • 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).
      • nelsoncompany.comStatic capacity is the highest of the three ratings; racking is often the lowest; dynamic is always lower than static.
      • 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.
      • phsinc.comPHS lists its EXP 100 nestable (48 x 40 x 5.2 in) at 78 pallets per stack and 2,340 per truckload, and its EXP 116 (48 x 40 x 5.75 in, 15,000 lb static) at 40 per stack and 1,260 per truckload: a higher static rating comes with fewer pallets per stack.
      • nelsoncompany.com43 x 43 in pallets are designed for bulk bags; 45 x 45 in is the CP9 chemical standard.
      • blog.containerexchanger.comNestable pallets can cut empty-pallet storage space by up to 75 percent.
      • en.wikipedia.orgAbout 500 million pallets are made each year as of 2020, with about 2 billion in use in the US.
      • nelsoncompany.comOnly pallets designed for unsupported racking carry a racking rating.
      • nelsoncompany.comThat Nelson model lists about 60 pallets per stack and 1,800 per truck.
      • 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.
      • palletenterprise.comIn 2011 a Quebec court ruled that CHEP's identified blue pallets belong to CHEP and cannot be sold.
      • 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.

      Terms on this page

      Trailer fill
      How much of a trailer a load takes: a quarter, half or full. It sizes the freight job.
      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.
      Regrind
      Plastic ground from used or scrap parts into flakes for moulding again.
      Ownership check
      Our first step with any pallet that carries a name, logo, tag or colour that suggests another owner.
      Reuse cycle
      One trip out with a load and back again. Some pallets are rated for a number of them.
      Screen
      The perforated plate under a granulator’s knives. The size of its holes sets the size of the flake.
      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.

      Questions people ask

      Does the sorter give a price?

      No. It gives a bin and a photo list.

      Is the load accepted once I send it?

      No. Acceptance comes after the pallets have been seen.

      Can I send photos through the form?

      Not through the form. Email them to the address shown under it.

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