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Export
Ship abroad without fumigation.
Light, nestable plastic pallets that are not subject to ISPM 15.
Warehouse and hygiene
No more broken wooden pallets to scrap.
Washable plastic pallets for racking or closed loops, designed for reuse.
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Technical guide with sources · a ROLL project
Plastic pallets: types, sizes, prices and how to choose
There are three main reasons to choose a plastic pallet: shipping without ISPM 15 treatment, hygiene, and reuse over many years. Each points to a different pallet class. This guide shows which one, with figures and sources.
The game
PALLET FACTOR
Find the right pallet in 4 questions: the ones that don’t fit drop out until only yours is left.
Choose by picture
Tap the picture closest to what you need.
Which pallet do I need?
Three questions, twenty seconds. The answer gives you the pallet class and where to read more.
Three classes, three reasons
From light to heavy, weight, load capacity and price all rise, and so does the typical use. Typical values for 1200×800 and 1200×1000, from manufacturers’ datasheets[1–3, 6].
| Light | Medium | Heavy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pallet weight | 4–9 kg | 14–20 kg | 18–25 kg |
| Dynamic load capacity | 650–1,000 kg | about 1,500 kg | 1,250–1,500 kg |
| Static load capacity | 1,500–2,500 kg | 5,000–6,000 kg | 4,500–7,500 kg |
| Racking load capacity | usually not rated | 800–1,250 kg | 1,000–1,400 kg |
| Relative price | € | €€ | €€€ |
| Shipping and export | the usual choice: light, nestable, one-way | if the load is heavy or the pallet comes back | rarely worth it |
| Hygiene and food | yes, for light loads | yes, closed deck and raised edges | yes, for warehouses and cold stores |
| Reuse and PPWR | short life in pooling loops | good service life | the usual choice for closed loops |
Capacities with a uniformly distributed load; with steel profiles some heavy pallets reach about 1,750 kg in racking. A reel is a concentrated load and a separate case: see reel pallets. For details on each class: light, medium and heavy plastic pallets.
Three reasons to choose plastic
Ship without phytosanitary treatment
ISPM 15 applies to wood. A plastic pallet needs no treatment or marking for export.
Work hygienically
No splinters, nails or absorbed moisture. It can be washed and, with the manufacturer’s declaration of compliance, used in contact with food.
Reuse for years
A plastic pallet withstands many trips. From 2030 the PPWR sets minimum reuse targets for transport pallets (at least 40% within a reuse system, with exemptions).
Advantages and disadvantages of plastic pallets
What plastic does better than wood and where it falls short, in brief. The figures come from the guides linked in the first column, which cite their sources.
| Criterion | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
| Price | In a closed loop with few losses, the cost per trip can drop below that of wood. | It costs 2 to 5 times as much as wood, according to one plastic manufacturer. New 1200×800, excl. VAT: light €5–30, medium €30–60, heavy €60–80. |
| Weight | A nestable 1200×800 starts at about 5 kg; a wooden one usually weighs 10–20 kg. | Heavy models for pallet racking weigh 20–25 kg, as much as wood or more. |
| Hygiene | It can be washed and does not absorb liquids; no splinters or nails. | Direct food contact needs a suitable material and the supplier’s declaration of compliance; a used pallet of unknown origin has neither. |
| Export | Outside the scope of ISPM 15: no treatment or marking. | Wooden chocks and boards shipped with it remain subject to ISPM 15. |
| Transport | Nestable pallets nest inside each other and travel better empty. | It slides more: friction coefficient 0.2 on a plywood truck bed, against 0.45 for wood, so it needs more load securing. |
| Racking | Rackable models state a racking load capacity, and some have steel reinforcement. | Under constant load plastic keeps deforming over time (creep): check the racking capacity in the data sheet. |
| Cold stores | Manufacturers’ data sheets give HDPE as stable down to about −45 °C. | PP holds up to about −23 °C, and generic PP grades can turn brittle at around 0 °C. |
| Fire | Models that pass a full-scale test such as FM 4996 or UL 2335 can generally be treated like wood. | Weight for weight it releases about twice as much energy as wood, so FM, NFPA 13 and VdS rules call for more protection. |
| Environment | At end of life HDPE and PP are ground down and become raw material again. | In the Anil et al. (2020) LCA, wood has a carbon footprint per trip 71.8–80.3% lower. |
When wood is the better choice. If the pallet goes out and does not come back, if losses are high or you do not measure them, if the load has no hygiene requirements and you ship mainly within the EU, wood usually pays off. In the cost-per-trip model in our guide, with its stated assumptions, break-even falls at around 4% of pallets lost per trip. The full comparison is in plastic or wooden pallets.
Where to buy plastic pallets
Four channels, each suited to different quantities and uses. Whichever you choose, compare offers on cost per trip, not on the price per piece.
| Channel | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer (direct) | Suited to hundreds of pieces, custom sizes or marking, racking and automated warehouses. Some manufacturers also buy back used pallets. | Minimum order quantities, usually higher for sizes or colours not in the catalogue, and production lead times. |
| Distributor or online shop | Tens of pieces, models from several manufacturers and quick delivery; online, a few standard pieces with the price shown straight away. | Ask for the manufacturer’s data sheet, not just the sales description: static, dynamic and racking load capacity are not the same figure. |
| Used | For shipping and floor storage of packaged goods on a tight budget, if the seller grades the pallets by condition. | Check a sample from the batch first: cracks, warping, origin. Not for racking or direct food contact. |
| Rental (pooling) | You do not buy the pallet: the operator delivers, collects, inspects and repairs it. Suited to deliveries to many consignees and to loops with many losses. | Price only on quotation; lost or stolen pallets can be charged to you under the contract. |
Prices in B2B catalogues are usually excl. VAT, and transport is almost always extra. In Italy only, the invoice for a new pallet also shows the CONAI environmental contribution.
The three flat pallets offered by ROLL
ROLL does not sell generic plastic pallets: it works on packaging for reels and rolls. Among flat pallets it offers three models, each for one use; price, minimum order and transport are on the product sheets.
The guides
How to choose in 9 steps
From the load to the cost per trip: the full procedure with a checklist.
How much a plastic pallet costs
Indicative price ranges by class, new or used, and cost per trip.
Static, dynamic and racking load capacity
What the three datasheet figures mean and which one to check.
Plastic or wood
Cost per trip, service life, hygiene and environment, including the studies that favour wood.
Export without ISPM 15 treatment
Why plastic falls outside ISPM 15 and what remains mandatory.
Hygiene and food contact
Regulations 1935/2004 and 10/2011, HACCP, virgin or recycled.
Reuse and PPWR
What Regulation (EU) 2025/40 requires of pallets from 2030.
Standard sizes
1200×800, 1200×1000, 1100×1100: the ISO sizes and where they are used.
Materials
HDPE or PP, virgin or recycled, behaviour in fire and cold.
Types
Nestable, stackable, rackable, runners, 2-way or 4-way.
1200×800 pallets
The European size in plastic: classes, capacities, how many per truck.
1200×1000 pallets
The industrial size: containers, racking, examples.
Pallets for racking
Racking load capacity, deflection between the beams, steel reinforcement, runner orientation.
Cold stores and frozen food
Which material withstands cold and washing.
Pallet sizes worldwide
Europe, USA, Asia, South America: the standard in each country.
Automated warehouse
Weight, deflection in the rack and tolerances for stacker cranes.
AGVs, pallet trucks and forks
Fork dimensions and what automation requires of the pallet.
Plastic pallet manufacturers
The main manufacturers by market, with their websites.
Regulations, costs and services
EPR and plastic taxes
Who pays the packaging levy on plastic pallets and when, in Italy (CONAI) and across Europe.
Rent or buy
The cost-per-trip formula including losses: when pooling pays off.
Used pallets, repair and recycling
How to check a used pallet, what can be repaired, where a broken pallet ends up.
Specification and testing
The 20 points to include in your specification, and the checks on delivery.
Fire safety
FM, UL, NFPA and VdS: how plastic pallets affect sprinkler design.
Load securing
Friction, EN 12195-1 and anti-slip: plastic usually slides more than wood.
Washing
Methods, machines, temperatures and HACCP checks.
Carbon footprint
What LCA studies on wood and plastic actually say.
RFID and traceability
GRAI, SSCC and embedded tags: how a pallet is tracked.
Custom pallets
Moulds, colours, marking and minimum order quantities.
Plastic pallet boxes
Pallet boxes: sizes, capacities and stacking.
ESD pallets
Resistance classes and IEC 61340 standards for electronics.
ROLL pallets: easy to order
ROLL does not sell generic pallets. If your application matches one of these, you can order online directly.
Reels and rolls
Paper, film, aluminium and technical textiles travel on reels. Here the right pallet depends not only on load capacity but also on reel diameter, weight and core size.
Frequently asked questions
How many kg can a plastic pallet hold?
It depends on the class and the use. In manufacturers’ datasheets a light pallet holds 650–1,000 kg when handled and 1,500–2,500 kg standing on the floor; a medium pallet about 1,500 kg when handled, 5,000–6,000 kg on the floor and 800–1,250 kg in racking; a heavy pallet 1,250–1,500 kg when handled, 4,500–7,500 kg on the floor and 1,000–1,400 kg in racking. These values assume a uniformly distributed load. In pallet racking the pallet spans two beams and the racking load capacity applies, the lowest of the three; on the floor or a solid shelf it sits on a full surface and the static (stationary) and dynamic (handled) capacities apply. Read more
Can a plastic pallet be used for export without phytosanitary treatment?
Yes. ISPM 15 only covers wood packaging, so a plastic pallet falls outside its scope and needs no treatment or marking. Any wooden accessories shipped with it remain subject to the standard. Read more
Plastic or wooden pallets: which is better?
Wood is cheaper to buy and, according to a 2020 study, has a lower carbon footprint per trip. Plastic pays off when the pallet comes back many times, when hygiene matters or when you ship outside the EU without treatment. Read more
What are the disadvantages of plastic pallets?
The purchase price: according to one plastic manufacturer it is 2 to 5 times that of wood, so a plastic pallet only pays off if it comes back. It slides more on a truck bed (friction coefficient 0.2 against 0.45 for wood), so it needs more load securing. Weight for weight it releases about twice as much energy as wood in a fire, under constant load it deforms over time, and generic PP grades can turn brittle at around 0 °C. In the Anil et al. (2020) LCA, wood also has a lower carbon footprint per trip. Read more
Where can you buy plastic pallets?
From four channels: directly from the manufacturer for hundreds of pieces or custom sizes; from a distributor or online shop for tens of pieces or a few standard ones; on the used market for floor storage and shipping of packaged goods; through rental (pooling) when many pallets do not come back. Compare offers on cost per trip, not on the price per piece. ROLL offers only three flat pallets, PP69, PPH1 and PP08, each for one use. Read more
Does the PPWR make reusable pallets mandatory?
Regulation (EU) 2025/40 applies from 12 August 2026. From 1 January 2030 at least 40% of the pallets that companies use for transport must be reusable and part of a reuse system, and 100% for flows between sites of the same company or to another operator in the same Member State, unless exempt. Read more
How are reels transported on pallets?
With the axis horizontal, on a pallet with a saddle or cradle that stops the reel from rolling, or on a flat pallet secured with chocks. The figure to check is the maximum weight per reel, because a reel is a concentrated load. Read more
Who is behind it
plasticpallet.info is a project by ROLL, an Italian company specialising in packaging for industrial reels and rolls, with three granted patents and customers in flexible packaging, paper and aluminium. ROLL sells reel pallets and chocks: that is why the guides cite their sources and also report the studies that favour wood.
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