Tote questions, answered.

IBC stands for intermediate bulk container — a reusable, stackable, forkliftable tank that holds roughly 110–550 gallons. The most common sizes are 275 and 330 gallons, each built from an HDPE bottle inside a steel cage on a pallet.

Only our Grade A food-grade totes are appropriate for potable water. These previously held FDA-approved edible contents and were triple-rinsed and sanitized. We always recommend a final rinse before potable use and clearly label every tote's prior contents and grade.

Yes. We buy clean, structurally sound empty totes across Greater Boston and New England. Tell us your quantity, prior contents, and location through the form and we'll send a quote and arrange pickup.

A reconditioned tote keeps its original cleaned bottle. A rebottled tote pairs a brand-new HDPE bottle with a reused, inspected steel cage — giving you new-tote cleanliness while still reusing the most carbon-intensive steel components.

We deliver throughout New England and arrange pickups from our Somerville, MA facility. Freight is quoted per order based on quantity and distance. Local Greater Boston runs are fast and frequent.

Always. Every tote is labeled with its documented prior contents and assigned grade. If a specific history is critical to your application, tell us and we'll match inventory to your requirement.

The 275-gallon tote is about 48 × 40 × 46 inches; the 330-gallon is about 48 × 40 × 53 inches. Both share the standard 48 × 40 inch footprint so they fit standard pallet racking and truck floors. See our full size chart for weights and cage details.

Pricing depends on grade, size, quantity, and freight. Submit the quote form with your details and we'll respond with a written quote — no phone calls required; we work entirely by email and on-site.

Triple-rinsing is a three-pass wash cycle: an initial knockdown rinse to flush loose residue, a hot-water detergent wash that scrubs the interior walls and dome via a rotating spray ball, and two or more clean-water rinses until the rinsate runs clear and pH-neutral. Food-grade units get an added sanitizing pass. It's the baseline cleaning standard behind every reconditioned tote we sell.

As a rule of thumb, filled liquid totes are stacked no more than two high, and only when the lower unit's cage and bottle are sound and rated for the load. Empty totes can be stacked higher. Always follow the cage manufacturer's stated stack rating and never stack a tote with a damaged or distorted cage.

Only in a tote that carries a valid UN design-type marking (e.g. UN 31HA1/Y) and is within its periodic inspection and leakproofness retest interval. Many reused totes are perfectly sound but no longer certified for regulated transport — those are fine as stationary or non-regulated containers but cannot legally move hazmat on a public road. Tell us your material and we'll match a properly rated unit.

Both share the standard 48 × 40 inch footprint so they rack and load identically. The 275-gallon (1040 L) stands about 46 inches tall and weighs ~115–120 lb empty; the 330-gallon (1250 L) stands about 53 inches tall and weighs ~155 lb empty. Choose 330 for maximum volume per pallet position, 275 when height or weight is constrained.

Most totes have a 2-inch bottom discharge valve (butterfly or ball) and a 6-inch screw-top fill cap. Common outlet threads are S60×6 (buttress) and camlock; we stock adapters to garden hose, camlock, NPT and quick-connect. Tell us your hose or pump connection and we'll include the right adapter.

EPDM gaskets suit water-based and mild products and are the default. Viton (fluoroelastomer) handles aggressive solvents, oils and fuels that would swell or degrade EPDM. The gasket's chemical limits are often narrower than the HDPE bottle itself, so always match the seal to your product, not just the tank.

Local Greater Boston runs are typically within a few business days; longer hauls into northern New England are scheduled by route to keep freight efficient. Lead time depends on stock, order size, and where you are. We confirm a delivery window in writing when you approve the quote.

Yes. If you turn over totes regularly, we can hold your preferred grade, prioritize your orders, and run a closed loop where we deliver reconditioned totes and collect your empties on the same route. It cuts your freight, your cost per tote, and your procurement overhead.

Yes — a Grade B industrial tote is ideal for rainwater capture and garden irrigation. If you intend to use the stored water on edible crops or for any potable purpose, choose a Grade A food-grade tote and confirm the documented prior contents first.

Nothing usable is crushed and nothing crushed is buried if a recycler will take it. A condemned HDPE bottle is shredded into regrind that re-enters the plastics supply chain (plastic lumber, drainage pipe, pallets); the steel cage and pallet are sorted to metal recyclers. Regrind is the last resort, not the first.

Yes. We buy clean, sound empties and can also collect totes destined for reconditioning or regrind across New England. Send quantity, prior contents and location through the form for a written quote and pickup schedule.

We do. Valves, dust caps, fill lids, gaskets, cage and pallet repair parts, and thread/hose adapters are all available. Tell us your tote's fitting type or send a photo and we'll confirm the correct part.

Keep it out of direct sunlight to protect the HDPE from UV embrittlement, cap the valve and close the lid loosely to allow airflow while keeping grit out, and store it on a stable, level surface. Drain and dry the interior fully before storage to prevent mold or biofilm.

We serve all of New England — Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Rhode Island and Connecticut — plus parts of eastern New York, from our Somerville, MA hub. Greater Boston runs are fast and frequent; longer hauls are batched by route.