Packaging material code FOR 50 — wood meaning

At a glance

What this symbol means

FOR 50 identifies wood as the main packaging material.

Read the number and abbreviation as the material identifier. The surrounding triangle can vary between labels and does not itself prove local recyclability.

Recognition

How to recognise it

Look for FOR 50 on a wooden packaging component.
Pallets may also carry treatment or logistics marks that have a different purpose.

Typical applications

Where it commonly appears

pallets and crates
wooden presentation boxes
wooden packaging components

Practical decision

How to sort or dispose of it

Prioritise reuse or pallet-return systems when available.
Use a wood recycling or bulky-waste route for broken packaging.
Do not use the mark to classify treated construction timber.

Before disposal or return

Remove product contents and loose plastic wrap.
Keep nails or hardware only if the receiving site accepts them.
Separate contaminated or chemically treated wood.

Avoid contamination

Common mistakes

Confusing a treatment mark with a recycling instruction.

Putting pallets beside household bins without arranging collection.

Mixing cork with ordinary wood.

Important limitation

What it does not mean

The code identifies the main material of the coded component. It does not prove local recyclability, cleanliness, recycled content or acceptance of a complete multi-component package.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Does FOR 50 mean the wood is untreated?

No. It identifies the material, not treatment history.

Can pallets be reused?

Often. Return or reuse networks are usually preferable when the pallet remains serviceable.

Can small wood packaging go in garden waste?

Not automatically. Garden-waste rules generally apply to plant material, not manufactured packaging.

Verification

Sources

EU Decision 97/129/EC — Packaging material identification systemOpen source ↗Regulation (EU) 2025/40 — Packaging and packaging wasteOpen source ↗

Sources checked 15 August 2026