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The yard
Field notes from the loading dock
The yard reference · carried on every page
Twelve reference sheets, because you should not have to ask us for a number.
Specifications, grading definitions, prices, thread standards, flow rates, weights, gasket selection, wash chemistry, freight limits, circular-route arithmetic, failure modes and conversions. Open what you need; none of it is gated and none of it changes depending on who is asking.
Container specs16 rows
Every dimension for the two sizes that make up 93% of the market.
| Attribute | 275 gallon | 330 gallon |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 275 gal / 1,041 L | 330 gal / 1,249 L |
| Footprint | 48" × 40" | 48" × 40" |
| Height | 46" | 53" |
| Tare weight | 125–135 lb | 140–155 lb |
| Gross, water | ≈2,425 lb | ≈2,900 lb |
| Max gross mass | 2,800 lb | 3,300 lb |
| Bottle mass | 38–45 lb HDPE | 45–52 lb HDPE |
| Cage + base mass | ≈55 lb steel | ≈62 lb steel |
| Stack, full | 2 high | 2 high |
| Stack, empty | 4 high | 4 high |
| Two-high stack height | 92" | 106" |
| Per 53′ van, volume | 48 | 40 |
| Per 53′ van, weight-limited | 17 full | 14 full |
| Fill opening | 6" vented or solid | 6" vented or solid |
| Discharge | 2" butterfly, S60x6 | 2" butterfly, S60x6 |
| Forklift entry | 4-way | 4-way |
Grading standard10 rows
Our written definitions — the same ones printed on every quote.
| Grade A | Grade B | Grade C | Food grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wash | Documented | Documented | Rinse only | Documented + sanitise |
| Bottle | Clear–translucent | Light haze permitted | Heavy staining | Clear, odour-free |
| Odour | None | Faint, product-typical | May be present | None |
| Prior contents | Documented, benign | Documented | May be absent | Edible only, documented |
| Cage | Square, no node rust | Sound, cosmetic dings | Cosmetic damage OK | Sound |
| Gasket | New | New | As-is | New, FDA EPDM |
| Leak test | Passed, recorded | Passed, recorded | Not tested | Passed, recorded |
| Food contact | Only if food prior | No | Never | Yes |
| Price band, 275 gal | $165–$225 | $110–$165 | $60–$95 | $225–$300 |
| Share of our sales | 18% | 58% | 17% | 7% |
2026 price bands8 rows
Published rather than extracted through a contact form.
| Type | Single unit | Pallet (4+) | Truckload (48) | Lead time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade C as-is | $60–$95 | $56–$88 | $52–$78 | 1–2 days |
| Grade B washed | $110–$165 | $102–$152 | $95–$140 | 1–3 days |
| Grade A rinsed | $165–$225 | $153–$208 | $140–$190 | 1–3 days |
| Food grade | $225–$300 | $210–$278 | $195–$260 | 2–5 days |
| Rebottled | $250–$340 | $236–$316 | $220–$295 | 3–7 days |
| New composite | $420–$560 | $400–$530 | $380–$500 | 5–15 days |
| Cage only | $35–$65 | $32–$60 | $30–$55 | 1–3 days |
| We pay you for empties | $15–$85 | $20–$85 | $28–$85 | Collection ≤2 weeks |
Threads & flow9 rows
Measured on our own line: full tote of water, vented lid, valve open.
| Fitting | Specification | Initial flow | Time to empty 275 gal | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3" butterfly | 3" flange, PP body | 128 gpm | 3.5 min | Batch dumping, viscous |
| 2" butterfly | S60x6 outlet, EPDM seat | 70 gpm | 6.5 min | Standard discharge |
| 2" camlock | S60x6 → 2″ male cam | 62 gpm | 7.2 min | Pump and transfer hose |
| 2" NPT | S60x6 → 2″ male NPT | 58 gpm | 7.9 min | Rigid dosing plumbing |
| 1" camlock | S60x6 → 1″ male cam | 22 gpm | 19.6 min | Drum filling, controlled |
| 3/4" GHT | S60x6 → garden hose | 9 gpm | 45.8 min | Irrigation, wash-down |
| 1/2" spigot | S60x6 → spigot | 4 gpm | 105 min | Hand filling, troughs |
| S60x6 | 60 mm OD, 6 mm pitch buttress | — | — | Modern standard outlet |
| S100x8 | 100 mm OD, 8 mm pitch | — | — | Legacy / EU — use a bushing |
Weights by product10 rows
gallons × 8.34 × specific gravity + tare. The number people skip.
| Product | SG | 275 gal gross | 330 gal gross | Stack? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethanol | 0.79 | 1,940 lb | 2,310 lb | Yes |
| Diesel / fuel oil | 0.85 | 2,080 lb | 2,480 lb | Yes — steel bin only |
| Vegetable oil | 0.92 | 2,240 lb | 2,670 lb | Yes |
| Water | 1.00 | 2,425 lb | 2,900 lb | Yes |
| Latex emulsion | 1.05 | 2,540 lb | 3,040 lb | With care |
| Brine 23% | 1.20 | 2,880 lb | 3,450 lb | No |
| Liquid fertiliser 28-0-0 | 1.28 | 3,065 lb | 3,670 lb | No |
| Corn syrup 42 DE | 1.33 | 3,180 lb | 3,810 lb | No — partial fill |
| Sulphuric acid 50% | 1.40 | 3,340 lb | 4,000 lb | Partial fill |
| Sodium hydroxide 50% | 1.52 | 3,615 lb | 4,335 lb | Partial fill |
Gasket selection10 rows
The cheapest decision in the specification, and the one most often wrong.
| Product family | Gasket | Valve body | Container | Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water, brine, glycol | EPDM | Polypropylene | Poly IBC | — |
| Dilute acids | EPDM | Polypropylene | Poly IBC | Brass, carbon steel |
| Caustics | EPDM | Polypropylene | Poly IBC | Aluminium |
| Alcohols under 20% ABV | EPDM | Polypropylene | Poly IBC | — |
| Alcohols over 20% ABV | Viton | Stainless | Stainless bin | Poly bottles |
| Vegetable and mineral oils | Viton | Polypropylene | Poly IBC | EPDM gaskets |
| Fuels, diesel, kerosene | Viton | PP or stainless | Steel bin | Poly bottles |
| Aromatic solvents | Viton | Stainless | 316L bin | All poly parts |
| Food ingredients | EPDM (FDA) | PP (FDA) | Food-grade poly | Non-FDA elastomers |
| Flavour, essence, botanical | Viton | Stainless | 316L bin | Poly bottles |
Wash cycles8 rows
The cycle follows the residue. A default cycle is how you get a clean-looking tote that smells.
| Residue | Cycle | Temp | Chemistry | Water | Cost | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water-soluble benign | Cold triple rinse | Ambient | None | 22 gal | $18–$28 | Grade A/B |
| Sugars, syrups | Hot caustic + sanitise | 148–156 °F | 1.5% NaOH | 45 gal | $35–$55 | Food grade if prior allows |
| Proteins | Hot caustic + sanitise | 150–158 °F | 2% NaOH | 48 gal | $40–$58 | Food grade if prior allows |
| Oils, fats | Degrease + hot rinse | 135–150 °F | Alkaline surfactant | 52 gal | $45–$70 | Grade A/B |
| Surfactants | Extended rinse + defoam | Ambient–120 °F | Defoamer | 40 gal | $30–$48 | Grade B only |
| Latex, emulsions | Mechanical + strip | 125–140 °F | Alkaline | 50 gal | $50–$75 | Grade B/C |
| Acids, caustics | Neutralise + rinse | Ambient | Counter-agent | 35 gal | $32–$50 | Grade B |
| Unknown | Triple rinse, downgrade | Ambient | None | 22 gal | $20–$30 | Grade C only |
Freight limits8 rows
Volume capacity and weight capacity are different numbers, and weight wins.
| Vehicle | Full, 2 high | Weight-limited full | Empty, 4 high | Liftgate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53′ dry van | 48 | 17 | 96 | No |
| 48′ flatbed | 40 | 17 | 80 | No |
| 26′ box truck | 24 | 8 | 48 | Yes |
| 16′ box truck | 12 | 5 | 24 | Yes |
| Sprinter van | 4 | 2 | 8 | Yes |
| 20′ sea container | 20 | 17 | 40 | No |
| 40′ sea container | 42 | 17 | 84 | No |
| Drop trailer, 53′ | 48 | 17 | 96 | No |
Circular routes7 rows
Ranked by burden avoided. Landfill is not on the list.
| # | Route | CO₂e avoided | Water avoided | % of new-unit burden | Share of intake |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reuse as-is after rinse | 88 kg | 190 gal | 100% | 60.9% |
| 2 | Wash and return to service | 83 kg | 163 gal | 94% | 22.3% |
| 3 | Rebottle | 55 kg | 118 gal | 62% | 6.0% |
| 4 | Salvage cage for another unit | 36 kg | 76 gal | 41% | 3.0% |
| 5 | Upcycle into a built product | 31 kg | 66 gal | 35% | 0.9% |
| 6 | Granulate to HDPE regrind | 30 kg | 62 gal | 34% | 6.9% |
| 7 | Landfill | 0 kg | 0 gal | 0% | 0% |
Failure modes8 rows
What actually retires a container and where each one goes afterwards.
| Failure | Where it starts | Share of retirements | Fixable? | Route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bottle stress cracking | Base radius | 41% | No | Granulate bottle, keep cage |
| Freeze split | Mid-height, at the old liquid line | 16% | No | Granulate bottle, keep cage |
| Contamination beyond wash | Absorbed into the wall | 14% | No | Granulate bottle, keep cage |
| Bottle deformation | Whole wall, from overfill or heat | 11% | No | Rebottle |
| Cage node corrosion | Welded intersections, corner columns | 10% | Sometimes | Mill the steel |
| Missing prior-contents record | Paperwork, not the container | 8% | No | Grade C only |
| Base rail damage | Fork pockets | — | Yes, on steel | Repair or replace base |
| Gasket failure | Outlet and lid seals | — | Always | Replace, $4 |
Delivery corridors7 rows
If you sit on a route we already run, small loads become viable.
| Corridor | Key stops | Frequency | Minimum load | Buy-back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I-76 West | Conshohocken, King of Prussia, Reading, Harrisburg | 2× weekly | 4 units | Yes |
| I-95 South | Philadelphia, Chester, Wilmington, Baltimore | 2× weekly | 4 units | Yes |
| I-95 North | Trenton, New Brunswick, Newark, Elizabeth | Weekly | 6 units | Yes |
| NE Extension | Lansdale, Quakertown, Allentown, Bethlehem | Weekly | 6 units | Yes |
| US-30 West | West Chester, Downingtown, Lancaster, York | Weekly | 6 units | Yes |
| US-202 North | Doylestown, New Hope, Flemington | Weekly | 4 units | Yes |
| Delmarva | Dover, Salisbury, Easton | Fortnightly | 10 units | By arrangement |
Conversions12 rows
The arithmetic that comes up daily.
| From | To | Multiply by | Worked example |
|---|---|---|---|
| US gallons | Litres | 3.785 | 275 gal = 1,041 L |
| Litres | US gallons | 0.2642 | 1,000 L = 264 gal |
| US gallons of water | Pounds | 8.34 | 275 gal = 2,294 lb |
| Pounds | Kilograms | 0.4536 | 2,425 lb = 1,100 kg |
| Inches | Millimetres | 25.4 | 48" = 1,219 mm |
| Cubic feet | US gallons | 7.481 | 51 ft³ = 381 gal |
| Cubic yards | Cubic feet | 27 | 1.4 yd³ = 37.8 ft³ |
| psi | Feet of head (water) | 2.31 | 1.7 psi = 3.9 ft |
| Feet of head | psi | 0.433 | 24 in stand = 0.87 psi |
| gpm | Litres per minute | 3.785 | 70 gpm = 265 L/min |
| kg CO₂e | Miles not driven | 2.5 | 88 kg = 220 miles |
| kg CO₂e | Mature trees, one year | 0.0476 | 88 kg = 4.2 trees |
Vocabulary, in twelve lines
- IBC
- Intermediate bulk container — anything between a drum and a tanker, in practice 110–550 gallons on a forkliftable base.
- Composite IBC
- An HDPE bottle inside a welded steel cage on a pallet base. The 275 and 330 gallon workhorses.
- Tare
- Empty weight of the container: 125–135 lb for a 275, 140–155 lb for a 330.
- Gross mass
- Container plus contents. Most 275s are rated to 2,800 lb; exceed it and the bottle bulges rather than bursts.
- Node
- A welded intersection in the cage where load actually transfers. The correct place to inspect.
- S60x6
- The standard outlet thread: 60 mm OD, 6 mm pitch buttress. Hand tight only.
- Prior contents
- What the container last held, logged against the original label. The single most consequential fact about any used tote.
- Rebottle
- A new HDPE bottle fitted into an inspected existing cage — virgin interior, 38% less embodied carbon than new.
- Food grade
- FDA-compliant resin plus an edible-only prior history plus a documented wash. All three, together.
- UN 31HA1
- Marking for a composite IBC approved for liquids. Belongs to the assembly and carries a service life.
- Regrind
- Granulated recycled HDPE. Post-industrial IBC regrind goes to pipe, conduit, pallets — never food contact.
- Avoided burden
- Environmental cost that did not occur because a container was reused instead of manufactured. Not an offset.
The yard, in numbers
- 18,412
- containers returned to service, rolling 12 months
- 91.9%
- of intake leaves as a container, not as feedstock
- 1.62M kg
- CO₂e avoided against a new-container baseline
- 543,000 lb
- HDPE granulated into clean regrind in 2025
- 318,000 lb
- steel baled to a regional mill in 2025
- 0 yd³
- container material landfilled — six consecutive years
- 2,600
- containers on the ground at the January peak
- 11%
- of offered loads refused, and referred on
- 22
- people at the Norristown yard, four of them drivers
- 6
- states served by our own trucks
Where and when
IBC Totes PA LLC
800 River Rd
Norristown, PA 19406
hello@ibctotespa.com
quotes@ibctotespa.com
No telephone line — written quotes only.
800 River Rd
Norristown, PA 19406
hello@ibctotespa.com
quotes@ibctotespa.com
No telephone line — written quotes only.
| Mon | 7:00 AM – 4:30 PM |
|---|---|
| Tue | 7:00 AM – 4:30 PM |
| Wed | 7:00 AM – 4:30 PM |
| Thu | 7:00 AM – 4:30 PM |
| Fri | 7:00 AM – 4:30 PM |
| Sat | 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
| Sun | Closed |