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Knowledge · 05

Field notes
from the yard.

Everything here exists because somebody asked us the same question three times. No listicles, no keyword padding — the arithmetic, the procedures and the mistakes, written by people who grade containers for a living.

Short answer

Ten guides covering tote versus drum economics, how to clean an IBC properly, rainwater harvesting builds, food grade versus industrial, a 17-point buying checklist, freight and palletizing maths, honest 2026 prices, a glossary, winterizing and a tote versus poly tank comparison.
  • Written for people doing the job, not for search engines
  • Every figure traceable to a source or our own records
  • Procedures we actually use on our own wash line
  • Includes the mistakes, including ours

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Main guides

Seven in the menu

Not in the menu

Three more, linked from where they are relevant

These live inside other pages rather than in the main navigation, because that is where they are actually useful.

If you are buying

If you already own totes

If you are building something

Reference material

Reading order

Three paths through this material

The guides stand alone, but they were written in sequences. If you are new to buying containers, these are the orders that make sense.

Suggested reading sequences
If you areRead in this order
Buying used containers for the first time1. Grades explained → 2. What used totes cost → 3. 17-point buying checklist → 4. Freight & palletizing
Switching from drums to totes1. IBC tote vs drum → 2. Dimensions & weights → 3. Capacity conversions → 4. Freight & palletizing
Managing a fleet you already own1. How to clean a tote → 2. Valves & fittings → 3. Pallet types → 4. Winterizing
Shipping regulated liquid1. UN markings decoded → 2. Grades explained → 3. Buying checklist
Building something from a tote1. Rainwater harvesting → 2. Food grade vs industrial → 3. Upcycled builds
Reporting on packaging impact1. Our carbon math → 2. Diversion reporting → 3. Circular lifecycle

Reference versus argument

Which part of the site answers which kind of question

The site has three registers and they are organised deliberately. Knowing which is which saves time.

How the site is organised
RegisterWhereAnswersExample
SpecificationSize guideWhat is the number?How tall is a 330?
ProcedureKnowledge hub guidesHow do I do this?How do I clean a tote?
CommercialProducts and servicesWhat can I buy and what does it cost?What does reconditioned include?
Argument and evidenceThe Yard JournalWhy is it like this?Why does my tote still smell?
Short answersFAQQuick factual questionsWhat is the minimum order?
DefinitionsGlossaryWhat does this word mean?What is a buttress thread?

From the Yard Journal

Longer pieces from the people who run the wash line, the test bay and the trading desk.

Next move

Asked us something three times? It becomes a page.

That is genuinely how this section gets written. If you have a question that is not covered here, send it over — the answer tends to be useful to more than one person.

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