How to dispose of wood pallets and where to recycle them
Don’t risk another splinter, just get rid of your wood pallets, we show you how.
Wood pallets might not look like much, but they’re surprisingly versatile. Whether you're clearing out a business site or just trying to tidy up your backyard, figuring out how to dispose of pallets the right way matters. The good news? Many wood pallets can be recycled, reused, or donated, helping you clear clutter while keeping waste out of the landfill. In this guide, we’ll walk you through your best options for pallet removal, including how to prepare them for pickup and where to recycle them responsibly.
How to get rid of wood pallets
If you’ve got a stack of pallets taking up space, you’ve got a few smart options. Here’s how to get rid of wood pallets in a safe, sustainable way.
Sell, give away, or donate pallets in good condition
Still-sturdy pallets don’t need to be trashed. Many businesses, individuals, or upcycling enthusiasts are happy to take them off your hands.
How to sell, give away, or donate pallets
- Check local marketplaces like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or OfferUp.
- Call local garden centers, community farms, or non-profits—they often accept free pallets.
- If you're offering them for free, place a “free pallets” sign by the curb (only where it’s safe and legal to do so).
- Reach out to pallet recycling companies that offer pallet collection services.
Recycle the pallets
Recycling pallets helps divert wood waste from landfills and gives the materials new life.
Where to recycle pallets
- Local recycling centers may accept wood pallet drop-offs.
- Wood pallet recycling businesses can often pick them up.
- Construction and demolition recycling centers sometimes accept used pallets.
- Contact your local municipality to determine if they offer a wood pallet disposal program.
Repurpose the pallets for DIY projects
If you’re the crafty type, wood pallets make excellent material for home projects.
Ideas for repurposing pallets
- Garden planters
- Wall-mounted shelves
- Coffee tables
- Vertical herb gardens
- Pet beds
- Outdoor seating
Just be sure the pallet is safe for home use—look for HT (heat-treated) stamps and avoid chemically treated wood.
Break down broken pallets for scrap wood.
Even busted pallets can be useful.
Uses for scrap wood from pallets
- Firewood (if untreated and safe to burn)
- Kindling
- Compost bin panels
- Fence repairs
- Workshop projects
- Contact the local landfill
Sometimes, pallets are beyond saving or recycling.
How to dispose of pallets at a landfill
- Call ahead to confirm if they accept wood pallets.
- Separate pallets from general garbage.
- Check for disposal fees—some locations charge for wood waste.
- Bring identification and payment, if needed.
Hire a junk removal service
Just need someone to pick up the pallets asap? A junk removal service can collect your pallets and handle the disposal for you. At 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, we ensure pallets are reused or recycled whenever possible to reduce landfill waste.
How to use 1-800-GOT-JUNK? for pallet disposal
We make junk disappear—and that includes pallets.
- Call our local franchise to set up a free, in-person quote or look up our junk removal pricing online.
- Schedule a pickup online or over the phone.
- When we arrive, just sit back and let us take care of everything.
Need help with pallet removal from a worksite? Our construction debris removal service can collect your pallets and more.
How to prepare your pallets for pickup and removal
To make the process smoother:
- Stack pallets neatly in an accessible location.
- Remove nails or broken boards if possible.
- Break down the pallet to save space (optional).
We take all kinds of junk
At 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, we take more than just pallets. From furniture and electronics to construction debris, we take all kinds of junk, with locations across the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Find your nearest location and get started today. Call us at 1-800-468-5865 or book your pickup online. We’re happy to help.
Frequently asked questions
We price based on how much space your items take up in the back of our truck, broken down into ⅛, ¼, ½, ¾ of a truckload, all the way up to a full truckload. Our trucks hold the equivalent of seven pickup trucks.
Our prices vary based on location and there is a minimum charge for our teams to remove your items, which is different in each location, based on a number of factors, including local disposal and recycling fees.
We offer single item pricing for certain items such as mattresses or TVs, sometimes this will be less than our minimum charge.
For materials that have a heavy cubic weight like dirt, concrete, and gravel, pricing is based on the total volume that the material takes up in the truck, up to a maximum of one foot in height for a full truck.
Watch us load up a truck to see how our standard pricing works!
If you need service weekly, monthly, or quarterly, we offer bulk pricing discounts. This gives you better value compared to common alternatives, such as dumpsters or less professional junk removal services.
Interested? Call our business account team at 1-888-475-3461 to discuss your needs as well as pricing options.
On the day of your appointment with us, our friendly, uniformed truck team members will give you a call or text 25-30 mins before we arrive to let you know we’re on our way.
Whether your business has a single location or multiple locations, we can create a custom junk removal solution that works for you. We can coordinate pickups at multiple locations at a local, regional, and national level. Rather than work with dozens of regional or local companies, let 1-800-GOT-JUNK? handle the jobs across all your locations.
Absolutely! We take large items all the time. As long as it can be lifted and loaded into the truck by two people, we'll be happy to take it away for you!
We work with all types of businesses and can handle any type of job - cleanouts, bulk item removal, general junk removal and even specific items like cardboard or pallets. We can take pretty much anything as long as it's not toxic or hazardous. We can remove your items from wherever they’re located, whether it’s your office, store, site or anywhere else—all you have to do is point!
Yes, we're fully licensed, bonded and insured! We have insurance covering damages to both persons and property for every single booking.
While we don't quite service the entire map, we cover almost every greater metropolitan area across the US, Canada, and Australia. To see if we’re in your neighborhood, you can start a booking by entering your zip code here.
Our customer service center is open 24/7, so we’re here whenever you need us! While operating hours may vary in our franchise locations, we offer same-day and off-hours service, including weekends.
