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PSA - used totes - $1 (spokane Valley)
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I do NOT sell totes the images were taken off craigslist
If you are in the market for whatever reason a large 125, 275 or 330 gallon totes/shuttles, be careful, do your homework.
These types of containers come in many different sizes and very very few in this area are food grade.
If there are any signs of rust on any part of a totes metal frame, it has more than likely had reactive material such as oxidizers or corrosives in or around it and are not food grade even if labeled as such.
If there is any residual material or odor in the tote that is not clear or a clean smell, that is not a good sign. It more than likely has not been properly washed or had bad chemical in it. Totes that have been rinsed correctly will be clean not only on the inside but on the outside, with little or no dirt or stains, they will be RINSED not cleaned or disinfected big difference.
Many totes in this area contained petroleum products with residual in the plastic, its very hard to get it out. Ag totes are required to be triple rinsed, not washer out, there is no way to "wash" them since chemicals can permeate the plastic.
Most ag totes in this area have had corrosives, fertilizer, 2-4D or glyphosate aka round up, paraquat, tordon and so on in them. Some will have a sticker or maybe a surfactant product which is pretty safe for irrigation. 24D, glyphosate, tordon and paraquat cannot be totally removed or eliminated and should not be used for any type of potable water for human or animal water source or garden irrigation especially those with dicamba. Like Ag products, Industrial soaps and industrial cleaners can be very corrosive/oxidizers not good for animals our humans. Stickers and surfactants, should be ok for garden water but do your home work. Tordon is banned in many places and some 24-D mixes are very harmful to garden plants with heavy residual in the ground, petroleum based products are just as bad and not made to put on the land for any reason.
Some ag totes may have contained what they call micro nutrients or biological organic products or "food grade oil" you need to do some research. Some fertilizers are not good for people or animals especially those with nitrates, phospates, nitrites and so on, they maybe okay for irrigation but not a potable water storage source. If the seller cannot show you a label or SDS, be very skeptical, its you, your family or your animals or property health not the seller $.
Totes that are stained are not good at all no matter what the seller says. Washing totes out at your home and not knowing for sure what was in them can be harmful to your yard or property, so not a good idea. If there is an odor, especially a solvent odor that is not good!
Another not so good material transported in these totes locally is de-ice material that contain calcium chloride, magnesium chloride and sodium acetate some may even contain glycols, not good for people animals or a garden, its basically anti freeze.
Some totes may contain a bio degradable material these can more than likely be used for garden irrigation, and maybe even some other domestics uses again do your home work.
Food grade totes are identifiable by markings on the tote and only purchase from the original purchaser of the tote like a food processor who can guarantee food grade and its clean properly for potable water, they are expensive around $100.00 to $125.00. If someone sells you a food grade tote and you use it for a domestic water source and you get sick, contact the Washington state department of ag, wa state department of health, State department of ecology, in Idaho be wary and good luck just go straight to a lawyer. There are some out there selling "food Grade totes"for potable water storage stating that they have a signed document or some BS document from a supplier of the tote, like an affidavit, or chain of custody? No company would do that, liability is way to high. Call the company that is stated on the paperwork, since they will be part of the liability action party in the event of a poisoning or even potential poisoning. If there are no company names, no person no phone number on said company letter head with phone numbers and reps of that company on chain of custody, its probably a fake document. Ag totes or totes that are used for haz materials only have life cycles of 3yrs. Food processing none haz chemicals do not have federal regulated life cycles so there really no reason to sell or dispose of them, they can be used over if they are safe, think about that?
Just because its an FDA tote DOES NOT mean its safe for potable water! Organics placed in these totes creates produce mold like legionella.
If the seller cannot explain to you what was in the tote and articulate in a very informative manner as to what the product was in it, stay away from them. General terms like Ag chemicals, industrial soap, food additive and so on are not what you may want to hear, you need to know the specifics and ask for an SDS or the label. Many sellers go around and collect totes (from ag chem suppliers and farms) at little or no cost to them to sell and have no idea what was in them of even how to pronounce the chemicals. Its a side hustle to make few bucks.
There is no such thing as a washed, re furbished or decontaminated clean tote to use for domestic potable water, triple RINSED does not really mean anything either. Triple rinsed I believe refers to EPA requirements as to used totes specifically ag which need to be tripled rinse to be considered "Empty or rinsed out" not cleaned. There are NO chemicals or chemical process to remove petroleum based liquids, herbicides, pesticides, fungicides and so on.
I hope this helps, its your health or your animal's health that you may eat or even more important your children.
If you need a container for potable or drinking water of humans or animals by a new one!