Euro pallet guides for importers and exporters

Step-by-step answers to the jobs that euro pallets create on a North American dock, each written from the published rules and specifications.

Document
IDX-GDE
Sheet
Index
Last reviewed
Sources
4 cited

All sheets

SheetSummary
Euro pallets in 48 × 40 rackingWhat happens when 800 × 1200 mm and 1200 × 1000 mm pallets go into racking, trailers and conveyors laid out for 48 × 40 in loads, with the arithmetic.
Euro pallets in reefer containersWhy refrigerated containers fit fewer euro pallets than dry boxes, with computed counts for 20 ft and 40 ft high cube reefers and the 53 ft domestic reefer.
Heat-treated vs methyl bromide palletsHT against MB on pallet stamps. What each treatment requires under ISPM 15, why EPAL bans methyl bromide on its pallets, and what US and Canadian rules accept.
How to check a pallet stampA field method for reading the ISPM 15 mark and EPAL markings on a euro pallet's centre block, with the faults that matter for import and resale.
How to sell surplus euro palletsWhat a buyer needs from you to quote on used EPAL and 1200 × 800 pallets, how to present a lot, and mistakes that cost sellers money.
Recycling euro pallets in the US and CanadaWhen a euro pallet should be recycled rather than sold or repaired, what the EPAL rules allow, and what to tell a recycler.
Shipping empty euro pallets back to EuropeHow many empty EPAL pallets fit in a container, how the stack height and payload limits work, and what to check before sending empties east.
Sourcing EPAL pallets for exports to EuropeA North American exporter's checklist for buying euro pallets that a European receiver will accept, from type and class to ISPM 15 marks and paperwork.
Spotting unlicensed EPAL repairsSigns that an EPAL pallet was repaired outside the licensed system, why it matters for exchange and resale, and what to do with such pallets.
What to do with euro pallets from importsA US or Canadian importer's options for surplus EPAL and other 1200 × 800 pallets left on the dock after European shipments, step by step.
Which EPAL class to specify for exportsNew, A, B or C? How to choose the EPAL Quality Classification class for a shipment to Europe, based on handling, appearance and what your customer agreed.

Sources

Last reviewed . Figures come from these publications; follow the links for the current versions.

  1. EPAL Euro pallet (EPAL 1), load-carrier page, European Pallet Association e.V.
  2. EPAL Quality Classification poster (edition 08/2023), European Pallet Association e.V.
  3. ISPM 15, Regulation of wood packaging material in international trade (adopted 2018, published 2019), IPPC Secretariat / FAO
  4. 7 CFR 319.40-3, general permits; regulated wood packaging material, eCFR, US Government Publishing Office

What do you need to do with them?

Pick one. Each form takes about a minute and goes to one partner, not a list of dealers.