Pallet collection service
Surplus and unwanted pallets, any load
Every collection, free or charged, and how it runs from photo to count.
See pallet collection service →
Free pallet collection
Pallet collection is free when the load is 50 pallets or more of uncontaminated wooden pallets, stacked by size in one place, with a forklift on site to load them.
We collect from business sites across the UK, pay for the reusable pallets in the load and price smaller loads on the quote.
When is pallet collection free?
Pallet collection is free when your load meets the quantity, condition, stacking and loading conditions, and the quote confirms it before we book.
- Quantity means 50 pallets or more in one collection.
- Condition means uncontaminated wooden pallets, sound or broken.
- Stacking means pallets stacked by size in one place, ready to load.
- Loading means a forklift on site to load the vehicle.
Free pallet collection is one outcome of our pallet collection service.
Is there a minimum load for free pallet collection?
Free pallet collection usually starts at 50 pallets or more in one collection.
Is a smaller load turned away? No, loads under 50 pallets are priced on the quote.
| Load size | What we do | How it is booked |
|---|---|---|
| Under 50 pallets | Collected, priced on the quote | One quote for one collection |
| 50 to 500 pallets | Usually free | One quote for one collection |
| More than 500 pallets, or a steady flow | Usually free | A regular collection, weekly, fortnightly or monthly |
Which pallets qualify for free collection?
Wooden pallets of any standard or odd size, sound or broken, qualify for free collection in a load of 50 or more; plastic pallets, collars and contaminated pallets are priced on the quote.
| Pallets | On a load of 50 or more | What happens to them |
|---|---|---|
| Sound UK standard, Euro and half pallets | We pay per pallet, by size and grade | Repaired where needed and sold again |
| Poorer, repairable wooden pallets | Free | Repaired, or taken apart for boards and blocks |
| CP and odd-sized wooden pallets | Free on the same load | Reused where the size is wanted, otherwise taken apart |
| Broken and damaged wooden pallets | Free | Taken apart for boards and blocks; wood that cannot be reused goes for recycling |
| Plastic pallets and pallet collars | Priced on the quote | Reused or recycled |
| Contaminated pallets | Priced on the quote | Handled as the quote states |
CHEP, LPR and IPP pallets in a load are set aside for their owners and never counted.
Sound UK standard, Euro and half pallets are most wanted, and what we pay for them is set out on our we buy pallets page.
How should pallets be stacked for a free collection?
Pallets for a free collection are stacked by size in one place, no more than 2.4 m high, where a forklift on site can load them.
- Stacked by size
- UK standard with UK standard, Euro with Euro, odd sizes together.
- In one place
- One stacking area, close to where a vehicle can park.
- Stack height
- No more than 2.4 m, so each stack stays stable for loading.
- Forklift on site
- Your forklift loads the vehicle; we send a tail-lift vehicle, priced on the quote, if there is none.
Stacks that cannot be loaded safely are left on site.
When does a pallet collection carry a charge?
A pallet collection carries a charge in four cases, and the charge is written on the quote before we book.
- Loads under 50 pallets
- Contaminated pallets
- Plastic pallets and pallet collars
- Sites with no forklift, where a tail-lift vehicle loads the pallets
Small loads of broken pallets on their own are handled by our pallet disposal and removal service.
What paperwork do broken pallets need when they are collected?
Broken pallets that are collected need a waste transfer note, which the business handing them over keeps for 2 years, under the waste duty of care code (GOV.UK).
A free collection is still a transfer of waste for the broken pallets in it, because the duty of care applies to anyone who produces or hands over business waste.
The same code asks the business to check that whoever takes the waste is authorised, on the Environment Agency's public register in England or the Natural Resources Wales register in Wales. We are a registered waste carrier, and you get a waste transfer note for every collection of broken pallets. Sound pallets sold for reuse are not waste when they go straight back into use as pallets with no more than minor repair, under Environment Agency guidance.
How soon is a free pallet collection?
We pick up a free pallet collection usually within 3 working days of booking, from business sites across the UK, and the day is confirmed with your quote.
- Window
- Usually within 3 working days of booking.
- Day
- Confirmed with your quote.
- Regular loads
- A fixed day each week, fortnight or month.
Book a free pallet collection
Tell us how many pallets you have, their sizes and condition, how they are stacked and whether a forklift is on site; the quote confirms the free collection or states the charge.
- Quantityhow many pallets
- Conditionsound, broken or mixed
- Stackingby size, in one place
- Loadingforklift on site or not
- Postcodewhere the pallets are
More pallet collection services
Free collection is one of three ways your pallets leave your site, whether collected, removed as waste or bought.
Pallet disposal and removal
Broken pallets beyond repair
Broken pallets taken away when nothing in the load is reusable.
See pallet disposal and removal →
We buy pallets
Sound UK standard, Euro and half pallets
Reusable pallets paid for per pallet, by size and grade, once counted.
See we buy pallets →Free pallet collection FAQs
Is there a free pallet collection near me?
We collect from business sites across the UK, priced by postcode. Collection is usually free for 50 pallets or more, stacked by size with a forklift on site.
Will you collect fewer than 50 pallets?
Yes, and loads under 50 pallets are priced on the quote rather than turned away. Regular smaller loads can be grouped into one scheduled collection.
Do you collect broken pallets for free?
Yes, in a load of 50 pallets or more that is not contaminated. You get a waste transfer note, and the business handing over broken pallets keeps it for 2 years, under GOV.UK's duty of care code.
Do you collect CHEP pallets for free?
No. CHEP pallets remain CHEP's property, so we set them aside from your load. Council guidance points businesses to CHEP's own free collection for its blue pallets.
Do you pay for pallets or just collect them?
Both. We pay per pallet for sound ones and collect the rest. Poorer pallets in a load of 50 or more go free.
