[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":146},["ShallowReactive",2],{"c:\u002Fguides\u002Fwhat-to-do-with-euro-pallets-from-imports":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"answer":6,"audience":7,"body":8,"description":126,"extension":127,"lead":128,"meta":129,"navigation":130,"noindex":131,"path":132,"related":133,"reviewed":137,"seo":138,"sources":139,"stem":144,"__hash__":145},"guides\u002Fguides\u002Fwhat-to-do-with-euro-pallets-from-imports.md","What to do with euro pallets from imports","Sort the pallets first: EPAL-branded with a control staple, generic 1200 × 800, pooled pallets that belong to someone else, and damaged ones. Return pooled pallets to their owner. Sell sound EPAL and generic pallets as a lot, keep some for return exports if you ship to Europe, and send not-fit-for-use pallets to recycling. Never repair EPAL pallets yourself.","Importers of European goods",{"type":9,"value":10,"toc":115},"minimark",[11,16,20,49,58,62,65,69,77,81,84,88,96,100,108,112],[12,13,15],"h2",{"id":14},"_1-count-and-sort-what-you-have","1. Count and sort what you have",[17,18,19],"p",{},"Euro pallets that arrive under European goods are rarely uniform. Before you call anyone, split the stack into four piles:",[21,22,23,31,37,43],"ul",{},[24,25,26,30],"li",{},[27,28,29],"strong",{},"EPAL pallets",": EPAL in oval brand on the outer blocks and a control staple in a centre block. These have a recognised specification and grading scheme.",[24,32,33,36],{},[27,34,35],{},"Generic euro-footprint pallets",": 1200 × 800 or 1200 × 1000 mm, no EPAL brand. Same size, no exchange status.",[24,38,39,42],{},[27,40,41],{},"Pooled or rental pallets",": anything carrying a pool operator's name or colour. These usually still belong to the operator.",[24,44,45,48],{},[27,46,47],{},"Damaged pallets",": broken or missing boards and blocks, contamination, protruding nail tips.",[17,50,51,52,57],{},"Our ",[53,54,56],"a",{"href":55},"\u002Ftools\u002Fidentify","identifier"," takes one pallet through these checks in under a minute and tells you which pile it belongs in.",[12,59,61],{"id":60},"_2-deal-with-pooled-pallets-first","2. Deal with pooled pallets first",[17,63,64],{},"Pooled pallets are not yours to sell. Contact the operator named on the pallet and arrange collection. Mixing them into a sale lot can make the whole lot harder to move.",[12,66,68],{"id":67},"_3-grade-the-epal-pile","3. Grade the EPAL pile",[17,70,71,72,76],{},"EPAL's Quality Classification sorts used Euro pallets into classes A, B and C, plus not fit for use. It is a non-binding recommendation that applies only when buyer and seller agree to use it, but it is the shared vocabulary most buyers understand. The ",[53,73,75],{"href":74},"\u002Fgrades","grade pages"," explain each class. A sorted lot with a stated class split is easier to price than an unsorted one.",[12,78,80],{"id":79},"_4-decide-what-to-keep","4. Decide what to keep",[17,82,83],{},"If you also export to Europe, sound EPAL pallets may be worth keeping for return shipments, because your European customers may ask for EPAL. Check that they still carry a legible IPPC mark: wood packaging that crosses a border needs one, and US rules let inspectors order unmarked wood packaging re-exported on arrival.",[12,85,87],{"id":86},"_5-sell-what-you-do-not-need","5. Sell what you do not need",[17,89,90,91,95],{},"Sound EPAL and generic pallets can be sold to the used pallet market. Give the buyer what they need to quote: count by type, an honest class split, ZIP code, loading access (dock or ground), and how often the pallets arrive. Use our ",[53,92,94],{"href":93},"\u002Fsell","sell form",". We pass the request to a North American used-packaging marketplace partner; we do not publish prices.",[12,97,99],{"id":98},"_6-recycle-what-cannot-be-used","6. Recycle what cannot be used",[17,101,102,103,107],{},"Not-fit-for-use EPAL pallets cannot go back into the exchange pool without repair, and only EPAL-licensed repairers may repair them. EPAL says unlicensed repair of EPAL pallets is prosecuted. For most North American holders, recycling is the practical route for broken pallets. Use the ",[53,104,106],{"href":105},"\u002Frecycle","recycle form",".",[12,109,111],{"id":110},"_7-make-it-routine","7. Make it routine",[17,113,114],{},"If euro pallets arrive with every container, a recurring pickup is usually simpler than one-off sales. Tick \"recurring\" on the form and say roughly how many arrive per month.",{"title":116,"searchDepth":117,"depth":117,"links":118},"",2,[119,120,121,122,123,124,125],{"id":14,"depth":117,"text":15},{"id":60,"depth":117,"text":61},{"id":67,"depth":117,"text":68},{"id":79,"depth":117,"text":80},{"id":86,"depth":117,"text":87},{"id":98,"depth":117,"text":99},{"id":110,"depth":117,"text":111},"A US or Canadian importer's options for surplus EPAL and other 1200 × 800 pallets left on the dock after European shipments, step by step.","md","sell",{},true,false,"\u002Fguides\u002Fwhat-to-do-with-euro-pallets-from-imports",[55,134,135,136],"\u002Fguides\u002Fhow-to-sell-surplus-euro-pallets","\u002Fguides\u002Frecycling-euro-pallets-in-the-us-and-canada","\u002Fgrades\u002Fnot-fit-for-use","2026-10-27",{"title":5,"description":126},[140,141,142,143],"epal-1","epal-classification","cfr-319-40-3","epal-stipulations","guides\u002Fwhat-to-do-with-euro-pallets-from-imports","9NgC3B9uewMvl-4ynK3kmQhlvH6-XZeQVqUWQdGOQBU",1793132283532]