Why IBC Waste Matters
IBC totes are used in large numbers across many industries. Each composite tote combines an HDPE plastic bottle with a galvanized steel cage and a pallet base. When a tote is sent to landfill, the materials and the energy that went into making them are lost, and a bulky, durable item takes up landfill space for a very long time.
HDPE does not biodegrade in any practical timeframe. Every tote that is reused, reconditioned or recycled instead of landfilled saves raw materials and avoids the energy needed to make a new one.
Reuse: Usually the Best Option
Directly reusing a tote, cleaned and refilled with a compatible product, generally has the smallest environmental cost: mainly the water and energy used for cleaning. No new materials are consumed, and a well-kept tote can often be reused several times before the bottle shows significant wear.
The key to reuse is matching a tote to a suitable next job. A tote that held vegetable oil, for example, may be a good fit for non-potable water storage or irrigation. Knowing the prior contents and inspecting the tote make that matching possible. ABC IBC connects people who have used totes with partner suppliers and buyers in our network, which helps keep serviceable totes in use.
Reusing a tote avoids manufacturing a new one, along with the emissions from producing the resin and steel, molding the bottle and building the cage.
Reconditioning: Extending Container Life
When the bottle is worn out but the cage and pallet are still sound, reconditioning is the next best option. The old bottle is removed and can be sent for recycling, the cage is inspected and repaired, and a new bottle is fitted.
This keeps the steel, which makes up most of the tote's weight, in service. The new bottle still needs new resin, but avoiding new steel production for the cage is a meaningful saving, and a sound cage can often be reconditioned more than once.
Material Recycling: Closing the Loop
When a tote can no longer be reused or reconditioned, its materials can often still be recovered. HDPE bottles can be shredded, washed and turned into recycled resin for products such as non-food containers, drainage pipe and plastic lumber, where facilities accept them.
Steel cages and pallets can often be recycled through scrap metal channels, and recycling steel generally takes much less energy than making it from iron ore. Between the plastic and steel pathways, most of a tote's materials can often be recovered where local facilities exist.
Through ABC IBC, totes that cannot be reused can be referred to partner suppliers that recondition or recycle them. Availability depends on the partner suppliers in your area.
Water Savings
Making new HDPE bottles and new steel both use water. Cleaning a used tote uses water too, but generally far less than manufacturing a replacement. As water becomes a bigger concern in many regions, this is another reason to keep totes in circulation.
How Businesses Can Participate
When buying used totes, ask the seller what happens to containers that are no longer serviceable. Do they accept returns? Do they work with plastic and scrap metal recyclers? A supplier that handles the whole life of the container gives you the most complete solution.
If your business generates empty totes, avoid stockpiling them outdoors for long periods, because sunlight degrades the HDPE and makes it harder to reuse. Set up regular pickups instead. You can request a pickup through ABC IBC, and a partner supplier in your area follows up where pickup is available.