Foundations8 min
What is an IBC tote?
The primer everything else builds on: construction, capacities, why they exist, where they came from and what they replaced.
Read →Navigate the yard
Learning Center
Everything we know about containers, written down.
Seventeen years of grading, washing, welding and hauling produces a lot of knowledge that normally stays in people's heads. These are the parts worth writing down — including the parts that cost customers money when nobody tells them.
Short answer
Twelve references covering foundations, buying, selling, cleaning, compliance, sustainability and projects. Start with "What is an IBC tote?" if you are new to this.
- Guides
- 12
- FAQ answers
- 40+
- Glossary terms
- 45+
- Reading time
- ~80 min
Form 01 · Spec request
Question not covered here?
Send it. We answer them by email and the good ones become new pages in this section.
Library
Twelve references, sorted by what you are trying to do.
Comparison6 min
Rebottled vs reconditioned
Two words the market uses interchangeably that mean very different things, and the money that confusion costs buyers every year.
Read →Buying9 min
Food grade buyer's guide
How to verify a food-grade claim, what disqualifies a container permanently, and why a clean tote and a safe tote are not the same thing.
Read →How-to10 min
How to clean an IBC tote
Triple rinse, detergent, caustic, sanitiser and steam — with dwell times, safety notes and an honest account of when to stop trying.
Read →Compliance7 min
UN markings explained
Decode 31HA1/Y/0326/USA/M1234 character by character, and understand what the plate does and does not permit.
Read →Sustainability8 min
The recycling process
What happens between a retired container and a bale of steel or a sack of HDPE flake, station by station.
Read →Projects11 min
Rainwater harvesting with IBCs
Manifolds, first-flush diverters, screening, algae, freeze protection and the mistakes that turn a rain tank into a mosquito farm.
Read →Selling7 min
How to sell used IBC totes
The seller playbook: what buyers actually pay for, what kills a price, and two hours of preparation that changes the number.
Read →Buying6 min
22-point buying checklist
What to inspect before money changes hands, in the order a yard inspector would do it.
Read →ReferenceReference
IBC glossary
Every term on this site defined: buttress, camlock, crazing, heel, leakproofness, packing group, tare and forty more.
Read →ReferenceReference
Full FAQ
Forty-plus answers across buying, selling, cleaning, compliance, freight and sustainability.
Read →ReferenceReference
Size & spec reference
Dimensions, weights, capacities, pallet types and fittings for every format we handle.
Read →Where to start
Three reading paths.
I am selling
I am responsible for compliance
Quick answers
The reference tables people come here for.
If you only need one number, it is probably on this page. The guides above explain where each one comes from.
| Format | Litres | L × W × H | Tare | Gross | Outlet | Per 53-ft van |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 275 gal | 1000 L | 48" × 40" × 46" | 145 lb | 2,500 lb | 2" butterfly | 45–52 / 80 stacked |
| 330 gal | 1250 L | 48" × 40" × 53" | 165 lb | 3,000 lb | 2" butterfly | 45–52 / 72 stacked |
| 550 gal | 2100 L | 48" × 46" × 65" | 285 lb | 5,100 lb | 3" butterfly | 38–44 |
| 265 gal stainless | 1000 L | 46" × 46" × 51" | 330 lb | 3,300 lb | 2" ball | 40–46 |
| Grade | What it is | Right for | Never for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Used, grade A | Rinsed, cosmetically clean | Customer-facing storage, resale | Food, potable, regulated |
| Used, grade B | Rinsed, visible staining | Water, brine, nutrients | Food, potable, regulated |
| Used, grade C | Rinsed, heavy staining | Dust suppression, builds, ballast | Food, potable, regulated |
| Reconditioned | Washed, pressure tested, resealed | General industrial refills | Food, potable |
| Rebottled | New bottle, reclaimed cage | First fills, near-new performance | — |
| Food grade | Documented single-trip edible history | Edible and potable cargo | — |
| New | Virgin bottle, new cage | Validated first fills, audited specs | — |
| Stainless | 304 or 316L vessel | Solvents, aromatics, hot fills, CIP | — |
| Material | Good with | Fails against | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| EPDM | Water, alkalis, glycols, brines | Hydrocarbons, oils, aromatics | General-purpose default |
| Viton (FKM) | Fuels, oils, aromatics, chlorinated solvents | Ketones, hot water, steam | Lubricant and solvent duty |
| Silicone | Food, potable water, high temperature | Steam, most solvents, abrasion | Food and beverage |
| PTFE-lined | Almost everything | Repeated compression cycling | Unknown or severe chemistry |
| Route | CO2e | Virgin HDPE | Steel | Water | Landfill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reconditioned and reused | 187 lb | 42 lb | 88 lb | 92 gal | 1.9 cu yd |
| Rebottled | 118 lb | 0 lb | 88 lb | 34 gal | 1.1 cu yd |
| Reclaimed to material | 148 lb | 38 lb recovered | 88 lb | 61 gal | 1.9 cu yd |
Answered · 5 questions
Questions we get about this
01Where should I start if I am new to IBC containers?
Read "What is an IBC tote?" first — everything else on this page assumes the vocabulary it establishes. After that, "Rebottled vs reconditioned" is the guide that saves buyers the most money.
02Are these guides trying to sell me something?
They are written by the desks that do the work, and several of them argue against buying our more expensive grades. The buying checklist and the seller playbook are both written slightly against our own interest, because a customer who finds out later stops being a customer.
03Can I use this material internally?
Read it, print it and circulate it for your own business purposes freely. Republishing it as your own or using it to train commercial models is not permitted.
04How current is the regulatory information?
It reflects general requirements at the time of writing and is orientation rather than advice. Intervals and rules vary by jurisdiction, transport mode and cargo, and they change — verify against the regulation that applies to you before shipping.
05What if my question is not covered?
Send it through any form on the site. You get an answer by email, and the questions that come up twice usually become the next guide.
Next step
Reading is free. So is asking.
If a guide leaves a question open, send it through the form and a specialist will answer by email.