Tote reference
Damaged IBC totes: what the grade means
A damaged tote has a cracked or punctured bottle, a bent or broken cage, a broken pallet or a valve that will not seal. It is good for parts: a rebottled cage, HDPE regrind, steel.
- Form condition
- damaged
- Next lives
- Rebottling, regrind, steel
- Decided by
- Which part failed
- Check first
- RCRA empty
Parts, not scrap
Each part has its own route. A sound cage takes a new bottle. A bottle that cannot be reused is shredded to regrind. A ruined cage is steel. A broken pallet can be replaced.
| Part | If sound | If damaged |
|---|---|---|
| Bottle | Reconditioned | Regrind |
| Cage | Rebottled | Steel |
| Valve | Kept | Replaced |
| Pallet | Kept | Replaced |
The empty rule still applies
A cracked bottle can still hold an inch of product. Do not move it until it is empty. The damaged-totes page explains what to send.
Why sellers keep the label
The bottle’s history decides whether it can be recycled at all. Leave the label on a damaged tote.
Reading the damage
| What you see | Usually means | Likely route |
|---|---|---|
| Hairline crack in the bottle | Bottle has reached the end of its life | Regrind; the cage may be rebottled |
| Bottle bulging or crazed | Material fatigue or a strong product | Regrind |
| Valve weeping | Seat or seal worn | Valve replaced |
| Cage tube bent | Forklift strike or stacking | Repair, or steel if severe |
| Pallet base split | Handling damage | Pallet replaced |
Photographs help. Take one of each damaged part and one of the whole tote, plus the plate.
Why damage does not erase value
The point of the grade is that parts are separable. An HDPE bottle is a clean, single-polymer plastic. A galvanized steel cage is clean, single-metal scrap. Neither is hard to sell as material, and a sound cage may be worth more as a frame for a new bottle.
We state no price. How a tote’s HDPE is recycled describes the plastic’s route.
Safety first
A damaged tote is more likely to leak and more likely to tip. Stand it where a leak will not reach a drain, and do not stack anything on it. If it is not empty, the damage does not change the rule: it needs a hauler.
The difference between damaged and dirty
Dirty is about contents; damaged is about structure. A tote can be both, and then the empty rule comes first. A clean tote with a cracked bottle is damaged. A sound tote with a heel is dirty. Describing which applies tells us which route to start with.
Before you send a damaged tote
Measure the heel first, photograph the damage and leave the label on. If the tote is leaking, contain it, and do not lift it until the product is out. The grade is decided after those steps, not before.
Questions people ask
Can a tote with a cracked bottle be rebottled?
Yes, if the cage is sound and the tote is empty under 40 CFR 261.7.
What if the valve will not close?
A valve that will not seal is a damage item on its own. It can usually be replaced if the rest of the tote is sound.
Should I repair a tote before sending it?
No. Describe the damage and leave the repair to the people who will certify it.
Does damage change the empty rule?
No. A damaged tote with an inch or more of product in it is still not empty.
Is a damaged tote worth sending?
Yes, as parts. A sound cage and a clean HDPE bottle are materials a recycler can use, though we name no price.
Keep reading
- Damaged totesA cracked bottle or bent cage is not the end. How a damaged tote is rebottled, or its HDPE regrind and galvanized steel are recycled.
- Cage and bottleWhen a tote cannot be reused, the HDPE bottle goes to regrind and the galvanized steel cage to rebottling or steel recycling.
- Recycling HDPEHDPE resin code 2: how a tote bottle is shredded, washed and turned into regrind, and what keeps a bottle out of recycling.
Sources
- IBC tote specifications (ibctanks.com)
- 40 CFR 261.7, Residues of hazardous waste in empty containers (Cornell LII)
Last reviewed . General guidance, not legal advice.