epalrecycling.comEuro pallet reference for the US and Canada

Spotting unlicensed EPAL repairs

An unlicensed EPAL repair usually shows as new wood with no repair marking nail, boards or blocks that are thinner or smaller than the rest, a nail pattern that breaks the regular grid, or nails without the two-letter head marking. EPAL's classification treats a repair not to specification as not fit for use.

Document
GDE-009
Sheet
Guides
Last reviewed
Sources
5 cited
Receivers, recyclers, buyersFor

The rules

Only EPAL-licensed repair operations may repair EPAL pallets. EPAL says repairing without a licence is prosecuted. Licensed repairers drive in a repair marking nail ordered from an EPAL-approved supplier.

Signs to look for

  1. New-looking boards or blocks but no repair marking nail.
  2. Undersized parts. EPAL 1 boards should be 22–24 mm thick (stringers up to 25 mm). A noticeably thinner board is an unacceptable component.
  3. Irregular nail pattern. EPAL stipulates the position of all 78 nails on an EPAL 1.
  4. Unmarked nail heads. Construction nails carry a two-letter head marking.
  5. Unmarked new wood. ISPM 15 requires each added component on a repaired pallet to be individually marked, or the whole unit re-treated and re-marked.

What to do

Do not put these pallets back into the pool as EPAL. Sell them as non-EPAL wood if they are sound, or recycle them.

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. EPAL licensing stipulations (June 2020), European Pallet Association e.V.
  4. EPAL licensing FAQ, European Pallet Association e.V.
  5. ISPM 15, Regulation of wood packaging material in international trade (adopted 2018, published 2019), IPPC Secretariat / FAO

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.

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