Wooden pallets are used to stack, store, and transport materials in a variety of industries. Unwanted pallets that are no longer in use are also a great source of recycled wood for DIY projects – but can you burn wooden pallets as firewood?
Is burning pallet wood safe?
It might be tempting to use old pallets as firewood, especially as they are easy to find and often free. However, pallet wood is very dry and smaller than typical firewood, meaning that any fire made using wood from pallets will burn big and hot – not what you want in an indoor fireplace. Pallet wood also burns fast, so the fire will burn out quickly and need regular refilling, so you may need more wood than you expect to supply your fire.
If you do want to recycle wooden pallets as firewood, use the wood alongside other types of firewood or as kindling for a smaller fire. It is generally safest to burn pallet wood outside, but it’s essential to check whether the pallets have been chemically treated before using as firewood. Any pallets that have been chemically treated or painted are not safe to burn.
Can you burn chemically treated wood pallets?
Some wood pallets are treated with chemicals when manufactured, which can be toxic if burnt. Check for marks or stamps on the long sides of the pallet. Markings to look out for include MB, which means the pallet wood has been treated with Methyl Bromide. This is harmful to humans and the pallets can release toxic fumes if used as firewood.
Pallets marked EUR, which is an old EU logo used on wooden pallets, may also have been treated with chemicals, so you should avoid burning pallets with this marking.
Heat Treated (HT), Debarked (DB), and Kiln Dried (KD) stamps generally mean the pallet wood will be safe to burn, however remember that pallet wood burns hot and fast, so care should still be taken when using it as firewood. Unmarked pallets should not be burned as it is impossible to know for certain what the wood has been treated with.
Can painted wood pallets be burned?
Painted wood pallets can also release toxic fumes when burning, so avoid using painted pallets as firewood. This includes pallets that are marked with small splashes of paint, as any amount of paint can contaminate the wood and make it unsafe to burn.
Wooden pallets that are contaminated in any way, whether with paint, dirt, oil, or other unknown substances should not be burned, as anything on the wood could be released into the air as it burns. Only use clean, unpainted pallets for firewood.
How to strip a pallet for firewood
While wooden pallets are often a cheap or free source of firewood, it can be time-consuming to break a pallet down. You will need a hammer and a wrecking bar to pry the boards of the pallet apart. Alternatively, a reciprocating saw can be used to cut through the nails holding the slats together. Remove any remaining nails from the wood before burning, as nails will not burn and may have been chemically treated.
How to recycle wooden pallets
If you have wooden pallets to dispose of, you don’t need to burn the wood to get rid of it. Instead, pallets can be recycled. There are lots of creative things you can do with wooden pallets, including making furniture, shelving, or garden planters. If DIY isn’t your thing, many companies will buy unwanted pallets for recycling.
Recycle with Alpha Pallets
Alpha Pallets recycle unwanted wood pallets by using the wood to repair other pallets or make new ones. If your unwanted pallets have any value, Alpha Pallets could buy them from you for recycling – so there’s no need to start a fire when you have pallets that you want to dispose of. Call us on 01604 230579, use our contact form to get in touch, or visit our site in Northampton.
About Alpha Pallets
Looking for pallet information and services? Look no further than Alpha Pallets.
Wooden pallets that are contaminated in any way, whether with paint, dirt, oil, or other unknown substances should not be burned, as anything on the wood could be released into the air as it burns.
Avoid chemically-treated pallets and instead opt for ones that have been heat-treated, which will typically be stamped with “[HT].” If a pallet does not have markings on it, it is considered a national pallet used for domestic shipping purposes.
Wet or unseasoned wood, often sold in nets, is cheaper to buy, but it needs to be seasoned (dried) before burning. Wet wood contains moisture which creates smoke and harmful particulates when burned. This can damage your stove and chimney.
Wood makes up wood pallets, and wood is flammable. So, it's not surprising that some people think wood pallets are a fire hazard. But while it's true that wood pallets are combustible, they're not as much of a fire hazard as you might think.
You should never use pallets with a MB stamp for any home project nor should they be burned. It is very unlikely that you would encounter a pallet treated with methyl bromide, but if you do see one it is best to avoid any contact.
Wooden pallets that are contaminated in any way, whether with paint, dirt, oil, or other unknown substances should not be burned, as anything on the wood could be released into the air as it burns. Only use clean, unpainted pallets for firewood.
While some pallets constructed from untreated wood can be safely burned, many pallets are treated with pesticides, fumigants, or chemicals that prevent rotting or insect infestations. Painted pallets, those visibly contaminated, or pallets marked with the letters MB should never be burned.
Pallets are usually safe for burning in the fireplace unless the pallet is labeled 'MB'. Which are the initials that will be on those that have been treated with 'fumigant methyl bromide'. However, there is always the possibility of pallets coming into contact with different chemicals when they were being used.
Markings to look out for include MB, which means the pallet wood has been treated with Methyl Bromide. This is harmful to humans and the pallets can release toxic fumes if used as firewood. Pallets will also contain nails which shouldn't be finding their way into your stove.
Many wooden pallets are treated with methyl bromide, a dangerous toxin when burned and released into the air. So, unless you are confident that the wooden pallets you want to burn haven't been treated with anything, then you are best to avoid burning them on your fire pit.
Pallets are either heat-treated (heated to a high temperature in kilns to seal the wood) or treated with methyl bromide — a toxic pesticide that has been linked to human health problems and ozone layer depletion.
Firstly, wood is a quite heavy material, and because of that it can break easier than other materials. Another downside would be the fact that it cannot be cleaned easily. Additionally, there is a higher risk of growing bacteria and fungus, which makes it unsafe for transporting food or other sensitive items.
CHEP pallets are very easy to identify. They are painted blue and have the corporate logo marked on them or have “Property of CHEP” or “Owned by CHEP” labelled on them to make them unmistakable in the market.
If your pallet has been painted or stained in a bright colour this usually means it belongs to a pallet rental company. The colour and code on each of these pallets will tell you which rental company they belong to, here are the four most common ones: Red pallets: pool LPR (La Palette Rouge from Europe)
Pine – Pine is softwood that is light in color with a straight grain. It's a lower-cost option for pallets, but it's also not as durable as some of the other woods on this list. Oak – Oak is a hardwood that ranges in color from white to reddish-brown.
While some pallets constructed from untreated wood can be safely burned, many pallets are treated with pesticides, fumigants, or chemicals that prevent rotting or insect infestations. Painted pallets, those visibly contaminated, or pallets marked with the letters MB should never be burned.
Look for the IPPC stamp on the side of the wood to determine how it was treated. Pallets marked with an “HT” were heat-treated and did not come into contact with chemicals during the treating process. Avoid unmarked pallets or those stamped with an “MB” for methyl bromide.
Ideally, you want to select pallets marked with and HT stamp. The HT stamp signifies that the wood on the pallet is heat-treated rather than chemically treated. Avoid chemically treated pallets to keep you, your family, and your vegetables safe from toxic contaminants.
A Heat Treated pallet ( HT pallets) is a wood pallet that has been heated to a minimum core temperature of 56°C (132.8 °F) for at least 30 minutes to kill pests making it safe for export. The pallet is stamped with an official HT stamp to certify the heating process meets the ISPM 15 protocol.
Introduction: My name is Tyson Zemlak, I am a excited, light, sparkling, super, open, fair, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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