Guides · Pallet collection
Who collects used pallets in London?
Three kinds of operator collect used pallets in London: pallet pools reclaiming their own property, pallet traders who take reusable stock for free, and licensed waste carriers who take the whole stack for a fee. Which one you need depends on the condition of your pallets, not the quantity.
Get a pallet collection quoteWho collects blue CHEP pallets?
CHEP collects its own blue pallets, because they are pool property rather than yours. Ring the number stamped on the pallet and arrange a return. Red LPR pallets work the same way. A waste carrier charging you to remove pool pallets is charging you to move someone else's asset.
Will a free pallet collector take broken or odd-sized pallets?
Usually not. Free collection in London is run by pallet traders who repair and resell, so a pallet earns its place on the lorry only if it is a standard size in reusable condition. The rest stays where it is.
What gets rejected, in practice:
- ConditionCracked stringers, missing blocks and water damage are turned down on arrival.
- Size1200×1000 UK and 1200×800 Euro are wanted. Odd sizes that arrived under imported machinery mostly are not.
- QuantityMany traders want ten or twenty before a trip is worth the diesel.
- AccessA kerbside stack is straightforward. Three flights down a service corridor is not.
If your stack ticks every box, use a trader. If it does not, the job is a waste collection, and the question becomes who does that properly and what it costs.
How much does pallet collection cost in London?
Capital Recycle prices pallet collection by quantity, starting at £25 + VAT per pallet for one to four pallets with no minimum call-out. Half loads and full loads bring the rate down sharply, and a full load works out from around £5.60 + VAT per pallet.
Mixed and broken pallets are included at every tier. Plastic pallets in a half or full load carry a flat surcharge. The published price is the invoiced price: no fuel surcharge, no environmental levy, no admin fee.
For scale, a full load is a caged tipper stacked properly, which is roughly 40 to 50 pallets depending on size. Current tiers are on the pallet collection page.
See pallet collection pricesHow many pallets do you need for a collection?
One. Capital Recycle collects a single pallet at £25 + VAT with no minimum call-out, although the per-pallet price falls a long way at half-load and full-load volumes. Traders generally need ten or more before they will travel.
Pallets are priced differently to general waste. For how the rest of it is costed, see how much commercial waste collection costs in London.
What happens to used pallets after collection?
Reusable pallets are repaired and returned to use. Everything else is chipped for board manufacture or energy recovery through a licensed disposal partner, so nothing from the pallet stream goes to landfill.
Wood is among the most recoverable materials in the waste industry, which is why a pallet is close to the last thing that should ever end up dumped behind a unit.
Does Capital Recycle pay for used pallets?
No. Some traders pay for perfect stacks and that is their trade. Capital Recycle is the collection you call when the stack is imperfect, the access is awkward, and you want it gone with the paperwork done.
Do you need a waste transfer note for pallet collection?
Yes. Pallets leaving a business are commercial waste, so whoever removes them should be a registered waste carrier and you should receive a Waste Transfer Note. It is the document that protects you if your pallets are later found fly-tipped.
You can check any carrier's registration on the Environment Agency public register. Capital Recycle is registered as an upper tier carrier under CBDU466346. A van driver taking pallets away for free who has never heard of a transfer note is a risk carried by your company name, not his.
How do you book a pallet collection in London?
Send a photo and a postcode. Count the stack, say whether any are broken or plastic, and mention whether a van can get close. Same-day is often possible on an existing round, and 24 to 48 hours is typical for a new booking.
Full detail on the paperwork: what is a waste transfer note and do I need one?
Clearing a larger volume in one go? See what the alternative to skip hire in London is.
Related guides
Wait and load as a skip hire alternative in London, and what commercial waste collection costs in London, cover the two questions pallet customers ask next. The pallet collection service page has current prices and the booking form.
Pallet collection servicePallets to clear?
Send a photo and a postcode and you will get a price back from a real person. Call 0207 101 4003 or use the contact form.
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