Would the barrels be safe for water

[me & my baby]

Ok I have several of these on my job site I was wonder if these would be safe to rinse out and used for water storage .

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The fluid can be rinsed out with lots of water. Do you know what the container itself is made of?

 

[me & my baby]

I am guessing the standard plastic you see the 55 gallon drums . That’s what they look like .

 

[Peace River]

Somewhere on the container (usually the bottom) there is likely a recycle number that will tell you what type of plastic it is. Good luck with this project!

 

[me & my baby]

Here is what is on the bottom of the barrels

 

[GlassMunky]

HDPE is good to use, its safe.

 

[Peace River]

HDPE is good to use, its safe.

+1. Rinse well to get rid of the residual.

 

[GlassMunky]

+1. Rinse well to get rid of the residual.

my first water barrel that i got for reef keeping was originally used to house lemonade..... over a decade later, it still smells of lemons lol

 

[Peace River]

my first water barrel that i got for reef keeping was originally used to house lemonade..... over a decade later, it still smells of lemons lol

I understand. I have several 5 gallons buckets that used to have pickles and it took bleach, vinegar, and 6 months of use to get rid of the smell.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I agree, HDPE is a good choice so just rinse well.

 

[me & my baby]

So do I just rinse with water several times and be done ?

 

[lapin]

What I would do:
Smell whats in it, by waving my hand over the opening.
Pour out as much of the original stuff.
Rinse 1 time and empty completely.
Do this a second time with a small bit of dish soap (surfactant) and let dry
Rinse a third and final time.
Let dry
Smell again.
If I still smell the odor to another rinse and dry.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’d let it dribble out between rinses. Residual rinse water will be what holds it, not the plastic itself.

 

[me & my baby]

Ok thanks for all the help

 

[Brian_68]

HDPE plastic can absorb contaminants in studies. I would only use something that was previously unused or stored something non-toxic / water. Maybe I am just being paranoid but we are talking ppm levels that can harm.

Common Plastics in Environment Absorb Contaminants |
A California study shows that the most commonly produced plastics that are littered in the environment are also the ones that absorb the most chemicals, a finding that poses a …
www.polymersolutions.com

 

[WVNed]

I am sure propylene glycol would not do any harm and wash out. It is the corrosion inhibitor package that would concern me. There is no way to know what is in it. It's proprietary probably.
Barrels that had food, wash and use them.
This it might be fine, might not.

 

[Brian_68]

I am sure propylene glycol would not do any harm and wash out. It is the corrosion inhibitor package that would concern me. There is no way to know what is in it. It's proprietary probably.
Barrels that had food, wash and use them.
This it might be fine, might not.

Agree, depending on which one it can contain up to 70% corrosion inhibitors per the specs.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Agree, depending on which one it can contain up to 70% corrosion inhibitors per the specs.

I don’t see the specs, but that can not possibly be correct. 70% corrosion inhibitors?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

HDPE plastic can absorb contaminants in studies. I would only use something that was previously unused or stored something non-toxic / water. Maybe I am just being paranoid but we are talking ppm levels that can harm.

Common Plastics in Environment Absorb Contaminants |
A California study shows that the most commonly produced plastics that are littered in the environment are also the ones that absorb the most chemicals, a finding that poses a …
www.polymersolutions.com

I don’t agree this is a substantial concern and I’d use the barrels.


We need to use some chemical understanding here. molecules that can penetrate HDPE to any reasonable extent will be uncharged, lipophilic, mostly nonpolar molecules. That is nearly the exact opposite of a typical corrosion inhibitor which are often higher polar and charged molecules to bind to metals and metal oxides. These, for example:

https://www.chemworld.com/Glycol-Corrosion-Inhibitors-s/1250417.htm

I don’t see any substantial risk in such molecules penetrating HDPE and then, after rinsing, coming back out in concerning quantities.

 

[WVNed]

It's 70% PG, not corrosion inhibitors. It is one of the premixed formulas available.

I don't pretend to know the chemistry of stuff like that and simply err on the side of caution in the absence of knowledge.