Worn and damaged pallets can often be recycled into wood products such as mulch, animal bedding and fuel. Recycling is available through partner suppliers; availability varies.
Reusing a pallet avoids building a new one. Tell us what you have or need.
Keeps usable pallets in service
Worn pallets can be recycled
Tacoma and Pierce County
No obligation
Used Pallets: Often a practical alternative to new. Pricing is by quote from partner suppliers.
A partner supplier will follow up.
Pickup of unwanted pallets can be requested; availability depends on the partner supplier
Suppliers typically sort pallets by condition and material type
Pallets that cannot be reused or repaired can be broken down
Wood is often turned into mulch, bedding, fuel or other products
Reusing a pallet avoids building a new one
Many worn pallets can be repaired and returned to service
Worn pallets can often be recycled into wood products
What a supplier accepts varies, so confirm with the partner supplier before you plan a pickup or drop-off.
Natural or colored mulch for landscaping
Wood shavings for farms and stables
Wood chips used as fuel for energy production
Recycling worn pallets keeps wood in use instead of sending it to disposal. Reusing or repairing a pallet avoids building a new one, and recycling covers pallets that are too worn to repair. Used pallets that are still sound are generally best reused first.
A wooden pallet can often be used for many shipments. When it gets damaged, it can frequently be repaired, for example with a replaced board or a plate on a cracked stringer. When it is beyond repair, the wood can be recycled into other products. This makes wood pallets one of the more recyclable forms of shipping material.
Damaged pallets can be ground into wood chips. The chips may then be screened, sometimes colored, and sold as landscaping mulch. Whether a supplier offers this depends on the supplier, so ask where your wood would go.
Wood that is not suited to mulch or bedding can sometimes be used as fuel in biomass boilers to produce heat or electricity. Whether this is an option depends on what facilities are available to the supplier you are matched with.
Remove plastic wrap, strapping and labels from pallets before they go. Keep pallets of different types apart, for example keep heat-treated pallets separate from any that may have been chemically treated. Stack pallets neatly so they are easy to load, and keep damaged pallets dry to limit mold.
Clearing out worn pallets frees up floor space and reduces fire and trip hazards. Depending on how you dispose of pallets now, recycling may change your waste handling costs. Pricing for any pickup comes by quote from partner suppliers, and local disposal rules can change, so check current requirements.
Damaged pallets can have protruding nails, splinters and loose boards. Wear gloves and sturdy footwear when handling them, avoid stacking them high, and keep them away from walkways. Pallets with metal contamination or chemical residue are often handled differently, so tell the supplier about them up front.
When you send a request, say whether this is a one-time clean-out or something that comes up regularly, roughly how many pallets you have, what condition they are in, and how easy it is for a truck to reach them. A partner supplier follows up, and what can be arranged depends on the supplier.
Have pallets that need recycling? Send a free, no-obligation quote request and a partner supplier follows up. Availability varies.
Request a QuoteUsable components may be reclaimed for repairs, and remaining wood can go into mulch, fiber, animal bedding or biomass fuel, depending on the recycler.
Partner suppliers may collect broken or scrap pallets. Availability varies, so describe your location and counts in the request.
Some suppliers may offer credit for reusable pallets, and others may not. Confirm the terms in the quote.
Worn pallets can often be repaired or recycled into wood products rather than thrown away. Ask the supplier what they accept.
Most wood pallets can usually be recycled. Tell the supplier sizes and materials so they can plan.
Metal fasteners are typically removed before wood is processed for secondary uses. Ask the supplier how they handle it.
Mention both in your request. A partner supplier can say what they would buy and what they would take for recycling.