Rain Barrel Question

[Nick53]

I picked up two white 55 gallon plastic barrels this past weekend at a garage sale for two bucks a piece. I'm intending on using them for rain barrels. When I bought them I was told they came from a local cheese factory. They originally contained a cleaner called oxofoam that is used for cleaning out the cheesemaking equipment. Do you think I should use these barrels for collecting rain water eventhough they were used for a cleaning product?? I'm thinking if I rinse them out real good it should be ok, but I thought I'd run it past you guys before I hook 'em up to the gutters.

Thanks much,
Nick

[Bearfootfarm]

If it was safe for cleaning food equipment it should be safe for most anything.

You can Google it and find out all about it

http://www.johnsondiversey.com/wcmt/...491GBEN-01.pdf

Its nasty stuff in it's concentrated form, but it dilutes easily with water

[Siryet]

Product Name OXOFOAM VF5 Product Code MSDS1491
Text of risk phrases associated with ingredients listed in section 2.
R22 Harmful if swallowed.
R31 Contact with acids liberates toxic gas.
R34 Causes burns.
R35 Causes severe burns.
R38 Irritating to skin.
R41 Risk of serious damage to eyes.
R50 Very toxic to aquatic organisms.
Change made to section 2 and 12.

[Bearfootfarm]

Originally Posted by Siryet

Product Name OXOFOAM VF5 Product Code MSDS1491
Text of risk phrases associated with ingredients listed in section 2.
R22 Harmful if swallowed.
R31 Contact with acids liberates toxic gas.
R34 Causes burns.
R35 Causes severe burns.
R38 Irritating to skin.
R41 Risk of serious damage to eyes.
R50 Very toxic to aquatic organisms.
Change made to section 2 and 12.

While all those may be true, they are referring to the concentrate. Any highly diluted traces left in a clean barrel would be harmless, since it IS designed to be used on food processing equipment

[Forerunner]

The fact that an industrial chemical is allowed by the FDA for the purpose of cleaning food processing equipment guarantees ZILCH as far as it's dubiously benign effects on the human body. If there was ANY residual odor in the barrels, I would rinse them until there was NOT. Vinegar would go a long way in removing any lingering traces, if anything would.
When all was said and done, I still would never drink the water from used industrial plastic.

[Liese]

Hi, The resident chemist thinks that because the cleaner was called "oxo" it was probably a bleach and after rinsing the barrels should be fine. For those who think otherwise I hope you are only eating foods from your homestead because these types of cleaners are used in all food processing, large or small; I work at a local goat cheese dairy. The resident chemist just came into the room and said "look what goes into soap and detergents", that list someone else posted (from a MSDS?) could apply to what you use to wash clothes or dishes. So, do what is comfortable for yourself, we use plastic drums for rain barrels and used pipe dope to set in the spigots.

[wy_white_wolf]

I would be more worried about if the barrels are food grade or not. If the aren't food grade they can leach toxins into the water and contaminate your soil. Rain barrels should only be made out of food grade barrels.

[Nick53]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I may hold off on using these for rain barrels and see if I can locate some food grade barrels. I was unaware of the fact that non-food grade barrels can leach into the water. This water will be used only for the garden and not for human consumption, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Thanks again,
Nick

[hunter63]

I guess I would worry about what is in the rain water more than what was in the barrels until rinsed.
You didn't list a location, but we have a problem with pollutants from the rain, which gets on everything.

Bye the bye, if using non colored barrels, water will turn green from U.V. light.
Mine were sorta of an oblique, white, and this happened, painted the out side with vinyl paint (blue). solved the problem.

[bill not in oh]

Talk to soft drink and juice bottlers in your area - they all get their syrup concentrates in 55 gal food grade drums. Most of them recycle the drums, but if you talk to a person of authority, explain what you're doing with them and offer to pay whatever credit they get for recycling them you should be able to find someone to sell you 3-4 as a one time deal.

[pixelphotograph]

While all those may be true, they are referring to the concentrate. Any highly diluted traces left in a clean barrel would be harmless, since it IS designed to be used on food processing equipment

The fact that an industrial chemical is allowed by the FDA for the purpose of cleaning food processing equipment guarantees ZILCH as far as it's dubiously benign effects on the human body.

Oh I'm sorry thats right our govt protects us so well and would never allow any bad things to be in our food. How stupid of me. LOL
Sarcasm added for taste and all sarcasm added is FDA approved and safe for consumption. LOL NOT!!!

[papaw]

Originally Posted by Forerunner

The fact that an industrial chemical is allowed by the FDA for the purpose of cleaning food processing equipment guarantees ZILCH as far as it's dubiously benign effects on the human body. If there was ANY residual odor in the barrels, I would rinse them until there was NOT. Vinegar would go a long way in removing any lingering traces, if anything would.
When all was said and done, I still would never drink the water from used industrial plastic.

Clean the barrels and use them.....BUT...anyone who has trust in the FDA is NUTS!!!!

[Nick53]

[QUOTE=hunter63]
You didn't list a location, but we have a problem with pollutants from the rain, which gets on everything.

QUOTE]


I'm from Wisconsin hunter. You do have a point with pollutants in the rain. I guess if I can't locate food grade barrels I'll just use what I've got. It would be hard for me to believe that the non food grade barrels would add a significant amount of leached chemicals into the water, but I guess it's better to be cautious about what I water my plants with.

Thanks much,
Nick

[travlnusa]

Saw a neat set-up the other day. Farmer had large (1000 gal?) tank on an old hay rack at the end of his barn. The barn had is gutters routed to carry the water to the tank. I would guess when filled, he just pulls the trailer to where the water is needed. I bet if fills pretty fast with that much roof surface.