Section
Tote grades, and how a used tote gets one
A used tote is one of eight grades, from new to damaged. Each is decided by a check: the heel depth, the number of rinses, or the state of the bottle and cage. The grade then says whether the tote can be sold, reconditioned or only recycled.
From heel to grade
| Check | If it passes | If it fails |
|---|---|---|
| Is the heel one inch or less? | Go on to the next check | Dirty: drain further, wash or recycle |
| Did it hold an acute hazardous waste? | Triple rinse; then triple-rinsed | Go on |
| Are bottle, valve, cage and pallet intact? | Used, as-is, or washed up from there | Damaged: rebottle, regrind and steel |
| Was the interior flushed? | Rinsed | Used, as-is |
| Was it cleaned and certified, with a current plate? | Reconditioned | Rinsed or used |
| Is the bottle new in a used certified cage? | Rebottled | Reconditioned |
Reading the table
The first gate is always empty. RCRA empty comes before any grade, because a tote that is not empty is waste, not a grade. After that the bottle, the cage and the history decide.
The grade names are the ones a buyer uses: new, rebottled, reconditioned, rinsed, triple-rinsed, used as-is, dirty and damaged. When you send a request, we use them to say where each tote belongs.
What each grade is for
New and rebottled totes are for repeat fills where a clean start matters. Reconditioned totes are for the same. Rinsed and triple-rinsed totes are for industrial reuse, with no food or pharma claim. Used, as-is totes go back into the same product they held. Dirty and damaged totes are for washing, rebottling, regrind and steel.
What makes a used tote resellable gives the five checks a buyer asks about, and the sizes and types cover what a grade applies to.
How a tote moves between grades
Grades are not permanent. A used, as-is tote that is washed becomes rinsed. A rinsed tote that is tested and certified becomes reconditioned. A damaged tote with a sound cage becomes rebottled. A dirty tote that is drained becomes used, as-is. The table above shows the order of the checks, not a fixed fate.
In this section
- NewA new tote has a new bottle in a new cage. See how it differs from rebottled and reconditioned totes and why it is not a used grade.
- RebottledA rebottled tote is a brand new HDPE bottle in a used, certified steel cage. See how a cracked bottle becomes one and who uses them.
- ReconditionedA reconditioned tote is a used bottle and cage, both cleaned and certified. See what it takes to reach the grade and who buys it.
- RinsedA rinsed tote is emptied and flushed, with the original bottle left in. It is not food or pharma grade. See its uses and limits.
- Triple-rinsedA triple-rinsed tote has been flushed three times, the RCRA cleaning for acute hazardous waste. See what it can and cannot become.
- Used, as-isA used, as-is tote is emptied by normal pumping, intact and unwashed. See why the buyer cleans it or reuses it for the same product.
- Dirty (heel left)A dirty tote still holds visible product or a heel pumping did not remove. See why it goes to washing or recycling, not reuse.
- Damaged (scrap)A damaged tote has a cracked bottle, bent cage, broken pallet or a valve that will not seal. See what it is good for.
Keep reading
- Totes275 and 330 gallon totes, caged, all-plastic, metal and bag-in-box: specs, empty weight and how each is recycled.
- What resellsIntact bottle and cage, a sealing valve, a known last contents and a current retest date: what lets a used tote be sold rather than scrapped.
- RCRA emptyWhat 40 CFR 261.7 says for containers over 119 gallons: one inch or 0.3% by weight, worked out for 275 and 330 gallon totes.
Sources
- 40 CFR 261.7, Residues of hazardous waste in empty containers (Cornell LII)
- 49 CFR 180.352, IBC requalification and maintenance (Cornell LII)
Last reviewed . General guidance, not legal advice.