Do you need to know how to get rid of wooden pallets for free? In this article, we focus on free or no-cost ideas for free pallet disposal from your business or home.
6 Ideas for how to get rid of wooden pallets for free
1 Put up a “free pallets” sign
As a homeowner or a small business, pallet accumulations can be sporadic. Given the popularity of wooden pallets for crafting projects, there are often people willing to come and pick up your unwanted pallets. You could put up a “Pick up pallets for free” sign. Some people also post free pallet availability on websites such as Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. Be sure to take the time to neatly stack the pallets so they will look more inviting to potential pallet takers, and offer a safer environment. Be very mindful that inviting people onto your property to collect pallets, or placing the pallets on public property for that purpose, both come with liability risks.
2 Return empty wooden pallets to the supplier
If the supplier is local, or further afield but with significant empty pallet accumulations, the supplier might be interested in retrieving the empty pallets. Even better, if you were charged a deposit on the pallets, you should be able to get that money back. If you are a homeowner who has accumulated a few pallets, consider calling the supplier to ask for empty pallet pickup. If it has trucks in the area, it might do so at no charge.
3 Ask other drivers to take them away
One way businesses can get rid of unwanted wooden pallets is to ask other truck drivers delivering to your location if they would like to take them away.
4 Work with a pallet picker
Pallet pickers, also known as street merchants or pallet collectors, are individuals, typically equipped with a pickup truck or trailer, who pick up small amounts of pallets and resell them. Pallet pickers are a crucial part of the reverse logistics ecosystem for pallets, picking them up in smaller quantities than would be feasible for regular truckload pickup by recyclers. Many small businesses have relationships with pickers, who will put your business on their pickup route. They might stumble across your business by noticing pallets outside, or you could call local pallet recyclers and ask them to recommend one.
5 Work with a pallet recycling company
If your company emits considerable quantities of empty pallets, you will benefit from a relationship with a pallet recycling company. Pallet recyclers take away your pallet cores (unwanted pallets) for refurbishment and resale. Although it might seem like overkill, it is good practice to ensure that pallet pickers or recycling companies go through a basic contractor compliance process before starting a business relationship, ensuring they have the necessary insurance, licenses & certifications, and safety measures. In cases where pallets are damaged or not suitable for reuse, professional services such as dumpster rental can also provide a convenient and efficient disposal solution.
6 Avoid needing to get rid of wooden pallets
The best way to eliminate a disposal problem is to not have it in the first place! For pallets, this can mean requesting pallets of a standard size (predominantly 48×40”) when you order merchandise. These standard pallets are more valuable to pallet pickers and recyclers. Other options for avoiding wood pallet accumulations include requesting suppliers to retrieve their empty pallets, whether they are proprietary or rental.
The best way to eliminate a disposal problem is to prevent it from occurring in the first place. For pallets, this can mean requesting pallets of a standard size (predominantly 48×40”) when you order merchandise. These standard pallets are more valuable to pallet pickers and recyclers. Other options for avoiding wood pallet accumulations include requesting suppliers to retrieve their empty pallets, whether they are proprietary or rental. High-quality new pallet providers like Sincere Pallet offer standard-size as well as durable alternative material pallets suited to reuse and recovery, which can also help reduce waste downstream.
Getting Rid of Pallets for Free: Look at the Big Picture
For a homeowner, putting up a sign on a few empty pallets seems like a reasonable tact, but be sure to consider steps to limit your liability exposure. For businesses, however, looking to rid themselves of pallets for free by placing them outside the fence might be an example of penny smart and pound foolish, if an injury or other negative outcome results in a claim or a charge. A better way to get rid of pallets for free is to design your pallet system with pallet retrieval and reuse in mind. If you still have questions, please reach out!
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Rick LeBlanc, EMBA, is the founder and editor of Reusable Packaging News (subscribe to the free newsletter) and editor of Western Pallet Magazine. A supply chain journalist with more than 30 years of experience, he specializes in pallets, reusable packaging, material handling and related operations. Rick is co-author of Pallets: A North American Perspective and Pallets & Progress: A Collected History of Pallets and Palletized Handling 1922–1945. He is also an advisory board member of the Virginia Tech Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design. Read Rick’s full bio.
