Buy Used Plastic Barrels
Typically, the best recycled barrel options come from food and beverage processors, shipping companies, or local distributors who have made collecting these barrels from other companies a part of their business.
buy used plastic barrels
Because of the size and volume of these recycled plastic barrels, they are very bulky and expensive to ship a great distance. As such, it is usually not cost-effective to buy recycled plastic barrels unless you can go and pick them up. (Of course, it depends upon the source; some companies get the barrels nearly free so they can afford to pay the shipping cost and still make money!)
Based in Bennington Vermont, our customers come from as far away as Pennsylvania to pick up their barrels. Barrels are an efficient storage solution for bulk goods such as fuel, sap, water, feed, scrap, compost, etc. By repurposing a used food-grade barrel you are insuring that the container is safe, free from chemical residue, and durable enough to keep anything safe.
Recycled barrels have a variety of uses that range from storage to building. Keep seed and feed safe from mice. Start a compost bin for your garden. Collect rain water and save at the tap. Barrels also make a convenient place to keep your cleaning or sports gear. Watertight plastic barrels can even be used for floatation devices on docks. Anything and everything can be placed into a barrel and sealed for protection until needed. They stack easily and can be grouped together to support even more storage on top of them. By using barrels you can effectively expand your household or businesses storage area.
Different barrels lend themselves to different uses. Steel barrels (or steel drums) are good for fuel and heavy storage, such as scrap wood or metal or your workspace tools. Stand your brooms, rakes, and shovels upright and secure in the corner of your garage. Or designate a space for your kids' sports gear, bats, sticks, and padding. Plastic barrels are perfect for storing liquids or dry goods such as seed and feed, sap, etc. Any open head plastic barrel can easily become an extra garbage or recycling can, and any closed barrel can become the ideal composter.
Plastic barrels also lend themselves to some very useful specialized jobs. Some of our plastic barrels have been outfitted for use as Rain Barrels, with screened inlets and valve outlets. These rain barrels are great for saving a little money while staying very green. Rain water is great for gardening or for washing the car without drawing too much on the tap. Closed head plastic barrels are also excellent for floats to attach to docks. It's as simple as lashing them to the underside of your dock frame and pushing it out into open water.
All of our barrels were used in the food industry and do not contain any toxins or hazardous residue. Our barrels average about 2 feet wide by 3 feet tall. Sorry, we do not ship our barrels. We look forward to seeing you when you come to collect your order. To learn more about ordering check out the details on or Order/Contact page. Be sure to ask about the availability of the particular barrels you are ordering, not all barrels will always be in stock.
Plastic barrels will keep your goods secure for long periods of time without breaking down. If you need to keep items in your warehouse or storage shed for months or even years on end, such as drinking water or cleaning products, plastic barrels will get the job done.
Before you purchase your first used plastic barrel, make sure plastic is the right choice for your products. Metal barrels are great for oil and other hazardous materials, including flammable items. Fiberboard drums can be used for consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, glue and paint. Plastic is better suited for liquids and some dry goods. Open head drums are best for liquids, while tight head drums are better for solid goods.
Rain barrels are containers used to collect rain water from the roof of a building via the gutter and downspout. The downspout is cut to a height that permits the rain water to flow into a barrel placed beneath it. The barrel should have a spigot to which a hose may be attached, and an overflow hose to direct rain water away from the foundation if rain continues after the barrel is full. Rain barrels are often made from 55-gallon food-grade plastic barrels, although they can also be made of wood. The collected water can be used to water gardens or lawns, wash cars, fill swimming pools or do other household chores.
Many Massachusetts towns and cities distribute rain barrels to residents through annual sales. Check with your municipality to see if there is a rain barrel sale planned and for details on how to participate. Or check the websites of the following vendors on state contract for information on sales planned in Massachusetts communities and how to participate. If no barrels are available in your community, try a neighboring community or consider purchasing a barrel directly from the vendor.
Obtain a container with a cover or lid, such as a 55-gallon drum made of heavy duty plastic. Barrels previously used to ship food products are ideal. Do not use a barrel that contained toxic chemicals. The barrel should not be transparent or translucent, which can promote algae growth. Thoroughly wash out any container that is being reused with a mixture of 1/8 cup of bleach and 5 gallons of water.
If there is not already an opening in the lid, cut a round opening using a jigsaw. Install a skimmer basket, like those used in swimming pools, to filter out leaves and other debris. Additionally, you should cover the opening with fiberglass window screen in order to keep out mosquitoes. Make sure the barrel is covered at all times to keep children and animals from falling in.
Used plastic barrels may also serve as feed barrels for deer, horses, or other animals. Used plastic barrels are a wonderful resource for rainwater collection and harvesting. Used plastic barrels also make excellent compost bins because the high density polyethylene with which they are made holds up well against weather and chemical-related corrosion. These barrels are also well-suited to recycling and garbage disposal. They are not, however, generally recommended for the storage of human drinking water or food for human consumption because of the risks associated with cross-contamination and cross-contact.
Large collection barrels are often used at parks, festivals, carnivals, and other crowded outdoor events and public spaces. For these purposes, they may be topped with an accessory like a plastic recycling lid. Used plastic barrels also make the perfect flotation device for a dock, provided the barrels remain sealed airtight. Depending on what was previously in the barrel, a used plastic barrel may be an appropriate container for chemicals or oils. However, it should be noted that used plastic barrels are not generally FDA approved for the storage of pharmaceuticals.
Specific information about a barrel may be found using its UN code, if one is available or provided. Used plastic barrels should be triple washed and leak checked by a leak detector manufacturer before use by a consumer. Also, if a barrel has an odor or residue from its previous use, it should be rinsed again. With the proper care, plastic barrels may be repurposed again and again, ensuring a good investment for the consumer and better health for the earth.
Closed Head Plastic Drum - Rahway Steel Drum CompanyUsed plastic barrels may be ordered online, or found in person at bulk suppliers. Such suppliers are often found in rural areas, where customers may be interested in using their barrels for bulk storage of such items as feed and sap. They may also serve as feed barrels for deer, horses or other animals. Used plastic barrels are a wonderful resource for rainwater collection and harvesting.
They are not, however, generally recommended for the storage of human drinking water or food for human consumption, because of the risks associated with cross-contamination and cross-contact. Used plastic barrels also make excellent compost bins because the high-density polyethylene with which they are made holds up very well against weather and chemical-related corrosion.
Along these lines, these barrels are also well-suited to recycling and garbage disposal. Large collection barrels such as these are often used at parks, festivals, carnivals and other crowded outdoor events and public spaces. For these purposes, they may be topped with an accessory like a plastic recycling lid. Used plastic barrels also make the perfect flotation device for a dock, provided the barrels remain sealed airtight.
Depending on what was previously in the barrel, a used plastic barrel may be an appropriate container for chemicals or oils. However, it should be noted that used plastic barrels are not generally FDA approved for the storage of pharmaceuticals.
A 55 gallon drum is a cylindrical container made of a variety of materials designed to hold 55 US gallons or 208 liters. They are used for the shipment of large quantities of liquids, chemicals, powders, granule compounds, and food ingredients...
A burn barrel is a metal drum that has been transformed and modified to dispose of combustible trash, waste, and other materials by incineration. Carefully constructed and manufactured, burn barrels are a safe and convenient method for disposing of...
A 55 gallon plastic drum is a storage or shipping container made of a high density industrial strength polymer with thick walls that provide endurance, strength, and longevity for the containment of a wide variety of substances and materials...
Rain barrels are containers which collect and store runoff from rooftops for later use. They are also a good tool for water conservation and a way to prevent the loss of "stormwater" as runoff. Stormwater runoff can carry pollutants from our rooftops and yards into nearby streams and rivers.
Rain barrels can be used individually or linked in tandem to capture a greater volume of water. They can be tapped to fill a watering can or used as the central water source for water-saving drip irrigation systems. 041b061a72