Pallet recycling in Memphis and the Mid-South
Pallet recycling in Memphis and the Mid-South means used pallets go to a recycler to be inspected, repaired, rebuilt or ground rather than thrown away. Any dock with cores, mixed loads or worn pallets can send them as a recycling request.
- 01Steps
- Inspect, repair, rebuild, grind
- 02Input
- Cores and mixed loads
- 03Output
- Grade B, combo, mulch or biomass
- 04Form choice
- Recycle
BOX 01What recycling covers
Recycled pallets are previously used pallets that have been repaired, refurbished or remanufactured for reuse (Millwood). The recycler's sorting line separates a pile into what can go back as is, what needs a board or a plug, what is dismantled for parts, and what is ground.
The cycle is the basis of recycled and combo pallets. Your cores are what the recycler turns into the stock another dock buys.
BOX 02What you send, what comes back
| You send | It becomes | You can then |
|---|---|---|
| Sound pallets | Resold with little work | Sell them |
| Cores with repairable damage | Repaired pallets, Grade B | Buy repaired stock back |
| Broken pallets with good boards | Parts for rebuilds | Clear them |
| Beyond repair | Chips for mulch, composite or biomass | Clear them |
BOX 03Why Mid-South docks use it
The metro sheds pallets all year, from the Southeast Memphis warehouse belt to Olive Branch fulfillment buildings. A recycler close by can turn them over quickly and a buyer close by wants the result. See selling cores for the seller's side and disposal for what is beyond saving.
The request is the same as any other clear: count, sizes, condition, ZIP.
BOX 04How to describe a recycling load
Describe a recycling load by what is in it: whole pallets, repairable cores, broken wood and any non-wood such as plastic or metal. A pile with a lot of non-wood is harder to place. Keep plastic wrap and strapping out of the stack if you can.
Ask where the stack will be on the day, how it is stacked and whether there is a loading dock or only a yard. These details matter more than the total. See pallet cores for counting.
BOX 05Wood, plastic and metal
Wooden pallets are the majority of what moves in the Mid-South, but plastic and metal pallets also appear. They are recycled through different channels, and a request about wood should not include them. If you have plastic or metal pallets, list them separately, with count and size.
BOX 06A recycling request, written out
"Roughly 400 wooden pallets a month, 48 x 40, about two thirds repairable, the rest broken; stacked outdoors on pavement; truck access by a 12-foot gate." It gives the monthly volume, the repairable share and the access.
FAQStraight answers
Is recycled the same as reused?
Reused usually means a pallet goes straight back into service; recycled usually means it was repaired or rebuilt first.
Last reviewed 12 November 2026. Sources: