Definition
A used pallet that has been collected, inspected, and returned to service with minimal or no repair. Recycled pallets (also called recovered or reconditioned pallets) are sorted by size and condition, and those meeting acceptable quality thresholds are resold directly. The recycled pallet market is a major segment of the pallet industry, with billions of pallets recovered and reused annually in North America, significantly reducing waste and raw material consumption.
Related Terms
Remanufactured
A pallet that has been repaired by replacing damaged components (deck boards, stringers, or blocks) with serviceable parts salvaged from other pallets or with new lumber. Remanufactured pallets — sometimes called combo pallets — offer significant cost savings compared to new pallets while maintaining acceptable quality for most applications. The remanufacturing process involves sorting, disassembling damaged pallets, inspecting components, and reassembling pallets to specification.
Combo Pallet
A pallet assembled from a combination of new and reclaimed lumber components. Combo pallets offer a cost-effective middle ground between fully new and fully remanufactured pallets. They are built to meet specific dimensional and load-bearing specifications while using serviceable recycled components wherever possible. Combo pallets are among the most commonly sold pallets in the North American secondary pallet market.
Waste Diversion
The practice of redirecting used pallets and wood waste away from landfills through recycling, remanufacturing, composting, or energy recovery. The pallet industry has one of the highest waste diversion rates of any product category, with over 95% of pallets being reused, repaired, or recycled. Wood waste from dismantled pallets is commonly converted into mulch, animal bedding, fuel pellets, or engineered wood products. Waste diversion is a key sustainability metric for the industry.
Reverse Logistics
The process of moving goods, including empty pallets, from their final destination back to the manufacturer, distributor, or recycler. In the pallet industry, reverse logistics encompasses the collection, sorting, repair, and redistribution of used pallets. Efficient reverse logistics is critical to the economics of pallet pooling and reuse programs. The cost and complexity of pallet reverse logistics often determines whether a reusable or expendable pallet model is more cost-effective.
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Our glossary contains 165+ terms covering everything from pallet construction to compliance regulations and industry organizations.