In Adelaide, Australian standard 1,165 by 1,165 pallets are collected free by Palleco, and Born Again Pallets collects free for businesses that pass its assessment form with at least 30 pallets. Non-standard sizes are a paid collection. Anything that ends up in landfill instead carries South Australia's metropolitan solid waste levy of $171 a tonne in 2026-27, the second-highest in the country.
Adelaide pallet recyclers and their published terms
| Recycler | Where | Free collection condition | Fees and exclusions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palleco | 1A/147 Goodwood Rd, Goodwood | "We offer complimentary pickup for standard 1165 x 1165 pallets" | "For pallets that are not standard size, we offer an affordable, convenient paid collection service"; unsuitable pallets "converted into particleboard, mulch, animal bedding, or energy"; Adelaide mulching service for unusable pallets and timber |
| Born Again Pallets | Athol Park | "FREE pallet removal is only for qualifying customers and they need to fill in an assessment form"; "Minimum of 30 Pallets to be eligible" | Sorts timber by usability and whether it has been treated; call 08 8448 1123 |
| Churchill Pallets | Metropolitan Adelaide | Collection and pickups "for all new and used pallets" by quote | Handles EPAL and Euro, export, fumigated and heavy-duty pallets; no published minimum |
| Airtasker | Marketplace, with a separate south Adelaide page | None; per-job quotes, whole or disassembled | Small lots below recycler minimums |
Adelaide is unusual in that the free-versus-paid line is drawn by size rather than only by count: a standard pallet is free at Palleco regardless of the stack, while an export or Euro pallet is a paid pickup or a Churchill quote. Pooled CHEP and Loscam pallets are refused by recyclers nationally; see the CHEP and Loscam guide.
What dumping pallets costs in South Australia
EPA South Australia publishes the solid waste levy by financial year: $171.00 a tonne for metropolitan disposal in 2026-27 (up from $166.00 in 2025-26 and $161.00 in 2024-25) and $85.50 a tonne non-metropolitan (up from $83.00). At about 30 kilograms a pallet, the metropolitan levy is a little over $5 a pallet before the facility's gate fee. That gap is why Palleco calls its paid collection "significantly cheaper than hiring a large skip bin or disposing of it in a landfill": mulched or reused timber pays no levy at all.
| SA solid waste levy | 2024-25 | 2025-26 | 2026-27 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan, per tonne disposed | $161.00 | $166.00 | $171.00 |
| Non-metropolitan, per tonne disposed | $80.50 | $83.00 | $85.50 |
Preparing an Adelaide collection
- Measure before you ring: 1,165 by 1,165 is the free size at Palleco; anything else is quoted.
- For Born Again Pallets, complete the assessment form and confirm you clear 30 pallets, or the visit will not be booked.
- Separate treated timber and pooled pallets; Born Again sorts by treatment and no recycler takes CHEP or Loscam.
- Under 30 mixed pallets, a paid Palleco collection or a marketplace tasker costs less than the gate fee plus $171 a tonne.
The same loading dock usually holds cardboard and a general waste bin on a private contract. Baled cardboard has a buyer, see cardboard bale prices, and the general waste contract is where annual increases and bin rental hide.
Where the money actually leaks: the bins next to the pallet stack
Pallet collection is the one waste stream most Adelaide businesses get for free, so it is rarely where the savings are. The general waste bin, the cardboard bin and the front-lift bulk bin beside the pallet stack are where the bill grows: bin rental, fuel levies, contamination charges and annual increases that nobody re-tenders. Bundle Waste is a Melbourne-based commercial waste cost broker that works with businesses Australia-wide. We audit your current invoice free, benchmark every line against provider rates, negotiate the contract, and are paid only from the savings we find. If we find nothing, you pay nothing. Start with a free waste audit, and see how every line on a waste invoice is built before you sign anything new.
Sources
- Palleco — Pallet collection Adelaide (Goodwood) (accessed 2026-09-03)
- Palleco — Recycled pallets Adelaide (free standard-pallet pickup policy) (accessed 2026-09-03)
- Born Again Pallets — Pallet recycling Adelaide (Athol Park) (accessed 2026-09-03)
- Churchill Pallets — Pallet collection Adelaide (accessed 2026-09-03)
- Airtasker — Pallet collection Adelaide (accessed 2026-09-03)
- EPA South Australia — Waste levy rates (2026-27) (accessed 2026-09-03)
Frequently asked questions
Is pallet collection free in Adelaide?
Does anyone in Adelaide pay for used pallets?
What is the South Australian waste levy in 2026-27?
What happens to pallets Adelaide recyclers cannot reuse?
Will Adelaide recyclers collect CHEP or Loscam pallets?
Does Bundle Waste collect pallets in Adelaide?
Related guides
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