How do you get wooden pallets collected?

A surplus of wooden pallets at your facility can take up valuable space, and create an additional health & safety burden that you could probably do without.

How do you get your pallets collected in the most efficient and environmentally-friendly way?

At Robinsons Pallet Services, we offer three simple services for pallet collection:

One-off pallet collection
We collect pallets in a one-off clearance, so long as there are at least 100 pallets on your site. If you’re local, we can often do a collection for fewer than 100 pallets.
Regular pallet clearance
We can visit your site at a regular time and date to keep your site free of surplus pallets.
Pallet purchasing
We partner with pallet suppliers and offer exceptional rates for good quality stock that has already been graded.

How do you get rid of wooden pallets?

There are a variety of options to get rid of your surplus wooden pallets, and it probably depends on how many pallets you have spare, and how convenient each option will be for you.

Arrange for them to be collected by a supplier, like us
As a business, we estimate that we need over 50,000 pallets a week, so we’re always on the lookout for spare pallets. And we pay highly-competitive rates for them.

This way, you’re contributing to the circular economy, and you’ll be remunerated for your pallets. There’s minimal hassle for you – you just give us a call and we’ll arrange collection.
Take them to a recycle centre
Most industrial recycle centres will take used wooden pallets. Again, they’re unlikely to pay you for them. And some of your pallets may end up in landfill.

If your pallets are still in a usable condition, this may be the least environmentally-friendly option.
Sell or giveaway on online marketplaces
There are plenty of people in the market for wooden pallets online. However, there’s no guarantee that you’ll get a competitive price for them, and it could be logistically complex if you have multiple buyers for your pallets. Equally, it’s quite a time-consuming process for you to go through.
Donate to local groups
Local community groups like Scouts or allotment groups may be interested in taking the pallets off your hands. They can repurpose the pallets for furniture, garden beds, or compost bins.

The benefit of this is that you’re minimising your waste as a business and supporting local groups, which contributes to the ‘feel good’ factor of your business. The downside is that you’re unlikely to receive any money for your pallets, and there’s a bit of legwork to do in ringing around to gauge interest.

You’ll probably only get rid of a few pallets this way, so if you have hundreds in excess, then this won’t be viable.

The do’s and don’ts of pallet collection

We often get questions about the condition of pallets, and how to store them while they await collection. Here’s a short list of do’s and don’ts when it comes to pallet collection.

Do:

Make money from your used pallets.
You don’t have to give them away. We’ll pay you for them.
Create a partnership for regular clearance
This takes away all the hassle on larger sites. We pick them up at regular intervals so your site stays clear of surplus pallets.
Store pallets properly before collection
Keep them in a dry area that’s well ventilated. Stack them evenly on a level surface, otherwise the wood can warp, compromising the structural integrity.
Be ready for the collection
Be on site and organised and this will save time and money.

Don’t:

Throw away pallets in bad condition
We can recondition pallets to make something new out of the old ones. Or we can use them as woodchip. There are plenty of ways to reuse and recycle pallets that are in bad condition. They don’t need to go to landfill.
Let pallets become overwhelming on your site
Pallets take up a lot of space on a site. And they can become a health & safety hazard if you have too many and restricted storage space. Get them collected before they become a problem.

How we can help

We buy pallets all year round and we have our own fleet of purpose-built vehicles to come and collect them from you. Get in touch with us at collections@robinsonspalletservices.com to arrange collection. We’ll give you a competitive price and organise a time to visit your premises.

Why buy new pallets?

The reason you might buy your pallets new is if you’re transporting hygiene-sensitive products. That’s usually things like food or pharmaceuticals.

With those sort of products, you want to reduce any risk of contamination as far as possible. While used pallets are generally clean and hygienic, we cannot completely eradicate the risk of contamination, and so new pallets are usually the right choice for transporting these goods.

You may also choose new pallets if you need an unusual size and shape. Used pallets are usually standard shapes and sizes that work with UK and European logistics. In the vast majority of cases, this is exactly what you need. But for unusual loads, you might require bespoke pallets. We’re able to prepare new pallets in bulk if you need them.

In a similar vein, if your load is particularly heavy then you may opt for new pallets. Reconditioned pallets are checked for vulnerabilities and regularly fortified, but new pallets will generally have a higher structural integrity to carry very heavy loads.

Additionally, pallet standards and quality control are essential in logistics, and organizations like the European Pallet Association (EPAL) ensure compliance with strict quality guidelines for pallet manufacturing and safety.

Why you would choose used pallets

The main reason to choose used pallets is for cost reasons. Used pallets are around 60% of the cost of new pallets, so it saves you a lot of money.

Reused pallets are repaired regularly to prolong their lifespan and to make sure that they are always fit for purpose. They come in the standard sizes and reliably ‘do the job’ for most business purposes

We can guarantee that they’re always available too. We always have stock in for reconditioned pallets so you have access to affordable, reused pallets whenever you need them, even if it’s at short notice.

The environmental considerations

There are arguments on both sides for the environmental reasons for choosing new or used pallets.

The majority of our pallets are reconditioned, which means that they are made from recycled wood. The wood that may have been thrown away or otherwise discarded ends up in our pallets. Equally, there’s no need to fell more trees, because we only use the wood that’s in circulation. We estimate that we usually recycle around 2 million pallets per year, which saves around 50,000 trees.

On the other hand, new pallets are now made from sustainably-sourced timber these days. That means that the forests they come from are managed responsibly and they balance the needs of the environment, wildlife, and forest communities. So new pallets are made with sustainability in mind.

We understand that lots of businesses are now looking to achieve or maintain B Corp© status, or you need to report your environmental impact in an ESG report.

Whether you choose new or used pallets, you can justify your decision with reference to the considerations you’ve given to your environmental performance. Investing in reused pallets shows your commitment to the circular economy. But if the load you’re carrying means that new pallets are the best option for you, then you can say that you only buy pallets that are made from sustainably-sourced timber.

Get in touch

Visit our products page to choose your preferred pallet grade. Then, contact us with the quantity you need and your delivery address for a seamless ordering process.