Pallet questions, answered
The questions people ask most about the pallets on their dock, with the short answer first.
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Can I sell blue rental pallets?
No. A blue pallet stenciled with a pool's name, in the US almost always CHEP's, stays the pool's property wherever it ends up. CHEP says it owns its pallets and never sells them. Return them through the owner's official collection channel.
Why are some pallets painted blue?
Pallet pools paint their pallets so strays can be spotted and sent back. Blue is the color used by CHEP, the largest pallet pooling company. Pooled pallets are rented to shippers, not sold.
What are red pallets?
In the US and Canada they're usually PECO's pooled pallets. In Europe, red can also mean LPR (La Palette Rouge). Either way, they're rented and go back to their owner.
Is it illegal to have rental pallets on my dock?
Holding stray pallets that arrived with deliveries isn't the problem. Selling, keeping, using or destroying them can create liability, and PECO's own page says selling, buying, exchanging or repurposing its pallets is illegal. Stack them apart and request the owner's collection.
How do I get stray rental pallets picked up?
Use the owner's official collection request. Our directory lists each pool's channel, with the date we last checked it.
Will anyone pay me for rental pallets?
Generally not. Pools have paid registered recyclers for recovering their pallets (CHEP's Asset Recovery Program has been covered by Pallet Enterprise), but a business that simply holds strays isn't usually paid. We never pay for pooled pallets, because they aren't for sale.
What is a white-wood pallet?
An ordinary, unpainted wood pallet that is bought and sold outright, not rented. Ownership passes with the load, so it's yours to reuse, sell or recycle.
Do you buy white-wood pallets?
Yes. We buy sound and repairable white-wood pallets, and standard sizes like 48 × 40 are the easiest to place. Send a count by size and condition, and we reply with what we'd take.
What happens to broken pallets?
Repairable ones get reclaimed boards and go back into use. The rest are dismantled for usable boards, and what's left is ground into mulch, animal bedding or biomass fuel. Nails are pulled out by magnets and recycled as scrap steel.
What does the ISPM 15 stamp mean?
The wood was treated against pests to the international standard for wood packaging, usually by heat (HT). It's required for pallets that cross borders. It says nothing about who owns the pallet.
What about California's AB 1760?
It's a 2022 California law that lets recyclers and junk dealers who acquire bulk pallets in good faith hold them until the owner collects; if the owner doesn't collect within 35 days of being told to, the recycler may sell them. CHEP has challenged it in court. It doesn't apply to stores or warehouses that simply receive pallets. Get legal advice before relying on it.
Do I have to sort the pile before you come?
No. Rough counts help us choose a vehicle. The crew grades the pile on site and stacks any rental pallets apart for their owners.
Do you take plastic pallets?
Plain plastic pallets with no pool name, yes. Plastic pallets with a pool's name molded in, such as iGPS pallets, are rented and go back to their owner.
How do I reach you?
Email info@bluepalletrecycling.com, or send your counts through the pile form. We don't take requests by phone.