How to clean an IBC tote, and when not to

Three levels of clean

People say clean tote and mean three different things. The first is drained, with a heel of an inch or less. The second is rinsed, flushed with water or a solvent so the interior is free of loose product. The third is reconditioned, a used bottle and cage that have been cleaned and certified for reuse.

Rinsing on site

Rinse only after the tote is drained and only if you know the product. The SDS lists compatible cleaning liquids and names what to avoid. A tote that held a reactive product, an oxidizer or something with an unknown formula should not be rinsed by guesswork.

1. Identify the last contents from the SDS.
2. Drain until the heel is an inch or less.
3. Flush with water or the liquid the SDS names.
4. Drain through the valve with the fill cap off until it stops dripping.
5. Close the cap and valve, and note the date and what the rinse was.

Rinsate is waste. It stays with the generator, and triple rinsing explains where it goes. If a rinse is not required by the rule, it is also not needed to request a pickup. We would rather receive a drained tote with an honest label than a rinsed one with no record.

Washing and reconditioning

A professional wash goes further than a hose can. The bottle is cleaned inside, the valve and fittings are serviced, and a tote that passes is certified for reuse. Reconditioning keeps the same bottle and the same cage. Rebottling replaces the bottle with a new HDPE one and keeps the galvanized steel cage.

The two grades are described on the reconditioned page and the rebottled page. Whether a used tote qualifies depends on its last contents, the state of the bottle and the cage, and its retest dates. The UN plate guide shows where those dates are printed.

Why a rinsed chemical tote is not food grade

High-density polyethylene absorbs a little of what it holds. The 21 CFR 177.1520 list covers olefin polymers, polyethylene among them, that may be used in articles touching food. It describes the plastic, not the history of a particular bottle. A tote that held a chemical once keeps that history, and a rinse cannot erase it.

For food or water use a tote needs documented food-only contents, start to finish. Food-grade history explains what the paperwork shows. The CDC says the same for emergency water: do not store drinking water in containers that previously held toxic chemicals, and use food-grade containers where possible. We never call a rinsed chemical tote safe for drinking water.