Resources · FAQThe questions
The questions
we get
every week.
Organized by topic. Updated whenever a new question comes up three or more times. If you have a question that isn't here, the form is the right answer — and we'll probably add yours to the page.
Buying
Buying
Are your used IBC totes food-grade?
Some are. Every food-grade unit we sell carries a wash record and a previous-contents declaration. If you need food-grade, say so explicitly on the quote form — we don't guess.
Do you sell single totes?
Yes — single-unit yard pickups from Columbia, MO are no problem. LTL freight for single units is possible but the freight minimum makes single-unit delivery less economical.
Can I see a photo of the actual tote before ordering?
Yes. Ask in the message field and we'll send a pallet photo before shipment. No stock images on real orders.
What does freight cost?
Depends on distance, volume, and trailer type. We quote landed cost (totes + freight) up front when you submit the form. No surprises.
Can I pay with a credit card?
Yes. We accept ACH, card, check, and established net-30 accounts. No surcharges on cards under $5,000.
What's the price difference between a 275 and a 330?
Roughly $15–25 per tote. The 330 holds 55 more gallons (20% more capacity) for ~10% more money — so the per-gallon math favors the 330 if your ceiling height and pallet jack handle it.
Do you have a minimum order?
No minimum at the yard — buy one or buy fifty. For delivered orders, the practical minimum is whatever makes freight worth it for you. Often ~6 totes for LTL, ~26 for FTL.
How fresh is your inventory?
We pull from intake on a roughly two-week rotation. Anything sitting longer than 30 days gets re-inspected. We don't sit on inventory for months — small yard, fast turnover.
Can I buy parts only — valves, gaskets, caps?
Yes. We keep stock of 2" ball valves, EPDM and Viton gaskets, 6" vented caps, and a handful of cam-lock adapters. Ask on the form with what you need; we'll quote a parts-only ship.
Do you offer volume discounts?
Yes, on a sliding scale. Roughly: 12+ totes drops the per-unit price about 8%, 26+ drops it about 14%, full-truckload 52+ drops it 18–22%. The freight savings on bigger orders are sometimes bigger than the unit-price savings.
Can I order ahead and pick up later?
Up to 30 days, yes. We'll pull and tag the pallets and they'll be waiting under your name. Past 30 days the totes go back into general inventory unless we've talked about it.
Selling
Selling
How many totes do I need to have for you to pick them up?
Twelve is the threshold where the freight math works for us to pay you for them. Below twelve, you can drop off at our yard during business hours.
I don't know what was in the totes — will you still buy them?
Tell us what you know about the operation. We've seen most things. Unknowns go to reconditioning or recycling — never resold as food-grade — but they're still pickup-eligible at scale.
How fast can you pick up?
Depends on routing. We pair small-volume pickups with other loads going the same direction. Sometimes that's this week; sometimes it's two weeks out. We'll tell you straight when we quote.
Do you accept hazardous prior-contents totes?
No. We have a restricted list (acutely hazardous EPA P/U-listed, certain pesticides, crude/fuel sludge). If you're not sure, send the SDS and we'll tell you what we can do.
How much do you pay per tote?
Depends on grade, prior contents, condition, and how many. As a rough order of magnitude: $25–55 for clean reusable units, $5–15 for recyclable-only. We quote per-load, not per-tote, after seeing photos.
Do you pay cash on pickup or do you mail a check?
Check on pickup is the default. ACH if you prefer — we'll need a W-9 either way. We're not set up for cash transactions over a few hundred dollars.
Can I sell back totes I bought from you?
Yes, and we credit you better than the open-market rate when we recognize the totes from our own intake records. Mention "buyback" on the form.
What's your geographic radius for pickups?
Routinely Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Arkansas, Illinois, Oklahoma, Nebraska, eastern Tennessee. Further than that needs to be either a full truckload or paired with a delivery we're already running.
Do I need to clean the totes before pickup?
Drain them. Cap them. Strap them to the pallet if they're unstable. We do the wash on our end — what we don't want is liquid sloshing around in a trailer or a tote that's going to fall off the pallet.
Can I get a receipt for tax purposes?
Yes. Every pickup generates a sale receipt with weight, count, and unit pricing. Useful for inventory write-offs or for sustainability accounting.
Reconditioning
Reconditioning
Can you recondition my existing fleet?
Yes — this is our wash bay's day job. We can pick up your fleet, recondition by batch, and return cleaned units with batch records.
What's the difference between rinsed and reconditioned?
Rinsed means water-rinsed at intake. Reconditioned means hot-water washed (160–180°F) with detergent, gasket and valve replaced, batch certified. Reconditioned is what you want for food applications.
How fast is reconditioning turnaround?
In-yard turnaround is typically 3–5 business days. Round-trip with pickup and return depends on your location and route.
What detergent do you use?
Food-grade alkaline detergent (caustic + chelator) at 2–3% concentration, followed by a neutralizing rinse. The exact spec is on the wash record. We don't use solvents because we don't want to swap one residue for another.
Do you certify against a particular standard?
Our wash record meets the documentation requirements for FDA 21 CFR Part 110/117 audit prep. We are not a third-party certifier — if your auditor needs a third-party stamp, we can refer you, but most operations accept the producer record.
Can you recondition a tote that held something I won't tell you about?
No. We need prior contents in writing. We're not asking for trade secrets — just the chemical class. "Surfactant" is fine; "don't worry about it" is not.
Do you handle the EPDM vs Viton gasket choice?
We default to EPDM unless the prior or intended contents call for Viton. Tell us the intended service on the order and we'll match the elastomer. Viton adds about $4 per tote.
Can you replace just the bottle and keep the cage?
Yes — "rebottle" service. Cheaper than a full new tote when the cage is sound. Common for fleets that have abused inner bottles but well-cared-for cages.
Do you offer pressure or leak testing?
Yes, as an add-on. We pressure-test to 4 psi air, hold 60 seconds, swab joints. Adds about $8 per tote and a half day to turnaround. Useful for any application where a slow leak would be expensive.
Transportation
Transportation
Where do you deliver?
Regular weekly routes to MO, KS, IA, AR, IL, KY, OK, NE, TN. Continental US for larger loads. International, no.
Do you ship to residential addresses?
Yes, with caveats. Residential delivery needs lift-gate service (usually) and a clear delivery window. Costs slightly more than commercial dock delivery.
What's the maximum tote count per trailer?
52 totes double-stacked in a 53' dry van for empty/rinsed. 26 single-stacked for filled. See the size guide for the full freight planning table.
Do you use your own trucks or third-party freight?
Both. Local and regional (within ~250 miles of Columbia) is usually our two-truck rotation. Anything further is typically a contracted FTL carrier we've worked with for years. You'll know which on the quote.
Can you provide a delivery appointment window?
For our trucks, yes — usually within a 2-hour window. For third-party carriers, the dispatcher gives a 4-hour window the day before. Driver will call (or text) en route if you ask.
What if my dock can't take a 53' trailer?
Tell us at quote time and we'll spec a 26' straight truck or 48' day-cab instead. Adds ~$0.25/mile but saves the wasted trip. Tight residential streets in older Columbia neighborhoods especially.
Do you ship to Canada or Mexico?
No. Domestic continental US only. We've looked at cross-border twice; the paperwork and customs broker time eats the margin for our scale.
Payments
Payments
What payment methods do you accept?
ACH, business check, all major credit cards, wire (for larger orders). No cash over a few hundred dollars. No crypto.
When is payment due?
For first-time orders: at order confirmation, before we dispatch. For repeat customers: net-15 default, net-30 by request after the second order.
Do you accept purchase orders?
Yes, for established net-30 accounts and for any institutional or municipal buyer. Send the PO with the form and we'll match against the quote.
Is there a surcharge for credit card payments?
No surcharge under $5,000. Over $5,000 on a card, we add 2.5% — that's our processor cost, not a markup.
Can you invoice in EUR or GBP?
No — USD only. We are not set up for multi-currency invoicing.
Do you collect sales tax?
On orders shipped to Missouri, yes. On orders shipped out of state, we collect where we have nexus (currently MO and KS only). Out-of-state buyers may owe use tax in their own state; that's on you to handle.
Sustainability claims
Sustainability claims
How do you calculate the carbon savings you publish?
Reconditioning vs new HDPE manufacture, using a 20 kg CO2e per tote baseline for embodied plastic plus pallet/cage. The methodology and assumptions are in the Sustainability Charter. We err on the conservative side — under-claim more often than over-claim.
Can you provide chain-of-custody for recycled totes?
Yes. Per-load disposition records with weights, dates, and the receiving granulator or scrap yard. We provide these on request for ESG reporting.
Are you SBTi-aligned / B Corp / verified by anyone?
No. We're a three-person company; the certification overhead exceeds our capacity to chase it. Our methodology is published so anyone can audit our numbers without paying a third party.
Where do recycled totes actually end up?
HDPE flake goes to one of two granulators in Missouri and Arkansas (named in the charter). Steel cages to scrap yards in central MO. Wood pallets either reused or chipped for landscape mulch. We can name the endpoint for any load we've handled.
Do you offset your own emissions?
We don't buy carbon offsets — the voluntary market has too much noise. We minimize directly (route packing, electric forklift, solar on the wash bay since 2024) and report the residual honestly.
Fabrication & custom
Fabrication & custom
Can you cut a top hatch into a tote for solids access?
Yes. 12" or 18" bolted lid is the standard option, with EPDM gasket and stainless hardware. Adds ~$70 per tote and 24 hours.
Can you add a bulkhead fitting for a hose barb?
Yes. Most common is a 3/4" or 1" brass bulkhead near the bottom or top. Bring or specify the fitting size; we install with sealing washer and hold leak-test.
Can you build me a stack of three totes plumbed together?
Yes — "manifold rainwater array" is a frequent custom. Tell us the array size and we'll spec PVC manifold, valves, overflow, and first-flush diverter. Picked up or delivered.
Can you paint or wrap totes for branding?
Paint, yes (industrial spray, your color). Vinyl wrap, no — we don't do graphics work. For wrap, we'll ship plain to a signage shop you nominate.
Do you sell aquaponics kits or hydroponics conversions?
Not as a stocked product. We have fabricated about a dozen custom aquaponics builds; we'll quote on request but lead time is 4–6 weeks.
Food-grade & regulated
Food-grade & regulated
Is your reconditioning FDA-recognized?
Our wash process and documentation meets the recordkeeping requirements of 21 CFR Parts 110/117. We are not an FDA-registered facility — most food-grade IBC reconditioners are not, because the regulation is on the food producer, not the container reconditioner.
Can I use a reconditioned tote for human-consumption liquids?
Yes, when the wash record is on file and the prior contents are food-class (HFCS, oil, juice, etc.). For finished beverages with regulator oversight, talk to your QA lead about their internal supplier-qual process; we'll provide whatever documentation they need.
Do you have totes that have only ever held food?
Yes. Filter by "food-grade single-trip" on the inventory. These came from a beverage or food-ingredient supplier, are washed once on intake, and never carried anything else.
Can I use a tote for potable water?
Yes if it's food-grade-reconditioned. Pair with appropriate filtration and a periodic shock-chlorination schedule. Don't use a non-food-grade tote for drinking water, even "just for backup."
What about pharmaceutical or cosmetic applications?
We can supply reconditioned totes that meet the documentation level you need, but you should verify with your QA / regulatory team before specifying. Pharma-grade certification we don't do; we'll refer you to a specialist house.
International
International
Do you ship outside the US?
No. We've looked at it. The customs and broker overhead is too much for a three-person yard.
I'm in Canada — can I drive down and pick up?
Sure, with the caveat that you're responsible for the border paperwork on your end. We can produce a commercial invoice and a NAFTA-style origin declaration if helpful.
Do you know any reconditioners in Europe or the UK?
A few. We'll happily refer if you email and tell us where you are. We don't take a referral fee.
Recycling
Recycling
What happens to totes that can't be reused?
HDPE shell to granulation, steel cage to scrap. We provide per-load chain-of-custody documentation on request.
Do you charge for recycling pickup?
Pure-recycle loads have a small per-load fee that covers the freight. We're not picking up tonnage of dead totes for free, but we don't profit on it either.
Can I get a recycling certificate for my sustainability reporting?
Yes. We can produce a per-load disposition record with weights, dates, and partner endpoints. Useful for ESG reporting.
What about single-tote recycling at the yard?
Drop off any time during business hours. $8 nominal fee per tote for true recycle-only (the fee covers the labor to sort and forward to the granulator). Compare with the $35–50 landfill drop-off fee in Boone County.
Do you take totes from other reconditioners?
Yes, if they fit our restricted-contents policy. We're not particular about origin; we're particular about what was in them.
How much of a tote actually gets recycled?
By weight: ~92%. HDPE shell (60%), steel cage (28%), pallet (varies — wood gets chipped or reused, plastic pallet gets re-pelletized). The residual is gasket rubber and a small amount of valve metal that goes to mixed scrap.
Do you do "energy recovery" / waste-to-energy?
No. The HDPE we collect is too valuable as a recyclate to burn for BTUs. Anything we route to a granulator stays in material loop.
About us
About us
Why don't you have a phone number?
Because email is searchable, honest, and doesn't interrupt the person loading your totes. Every quote we send has a paper trail. Every commitment is in writing.
How do I reach you outside business hours?
Send the form. We respond within one business day, often the same day. The form is checked from morning through end of day on weekdays.
How big is the company?
Three core people plus contract drivers, contract wash-bay help during peak. Small on purpose.
How do I know your sustainability claims are real?
Read the Sustainability Charter. The methodology behind the numbers is published there. We under-claim more often than we over-claim.
Who are the three people?
Riley Marchetti (packaging engineer co-founder), Theo Branham (farm-equipment mechanic co-founder), and Priya Sundaresan (sustainability & recycling lead, joined 2021). One of them will be the person who writes you back.
When did you start?
Late 2017, in a borrowed corner of a friend's ag-supply yard outside Ashland, MO. Moved to the current Vandiver Drive yard in 2019. Crossed 10,000 totes processed in early 2024.
Are you hiring?
Periodically and slowly. We've added one position roughly every 18 months. Email if you want to be in the queue; we'd rather hire someone we've corresponded with for a while than post a job listing.
Are you for sale / open to acquisition?
No. We're intentionally small and not building toward an exit. We get this question quarterly; the answer doesn't change.
Not on this list?
Send the question. We'll answer.
This page is built backward from the inbox — every entry started as a real question from a real customer. If yours isn't here, that probably means we haven't been asked it three times yet. Be the third (or first): send it on the form and you'll get a written answer within a business day. If it's a good one, it shows up on this page next quarter.