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Industrial Drums
An industrial drum is a cylindrical container used for shipping and storing liquid or solid materials. According to the Plastic Drum Institute (PDI), between 12 and 15 million plastic drums are manufactured annually. Most drums are used to ship chemical and petroleum products. Steel, plastic, and pressed fiberboard drums can be manufactured with recovered steel, HDPE, and paperboard, respectively.
- Recommended Recovered Materials Content Ranges
- Product Specifications
- Product Information
- Additional Links
Recommended Recovered Materials Content Ranges
EPA's Recovered Materials Advisory Notice (RMAN) recommends recycled-content levels for purchasing industrial drums as shown in the table below.
| Product | Material | Postconsumer Content (%) | Total Recovered Materials Content (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steel drums | Steel² | 16 | 25-30 |
| Plastic drums | HDPE | 30-100 | 30-100 |
| Fiber drums | Paper | 100 | 100 |
¹EPA's recommendations do
not preclude a procuring agency from purchasing another type
of industrial drum. They require that a procuring agency,
when purchasing industrial drums made from steel, plastic, or
fiber, purchase these items made with recovered materials
when they meet applicable specifications and performance
requirements.
²The recommended recovered materials content
levels for steel in this table reflect the fact that the
designated items are made from steel manufactured in a Basic
Oxygen Furnace (BOF). Steel from the BOF process contains
25-30% total recovered materials, of which 16% is
postconsumer steel.
Product Specifications:
- Industrial drums containing recovered materials can
meet applicable US Department of Transportation
Specifications for packaging hazardous materials.
- The National Motor Freight Traffic Association also develops performance specifications for containers used to transport goods via truck. Their specifications do not specify materials and do not prohibit the use of recovered materials.
Product Information:
Database
of Manufacturers and Suppliers
This database identifies manufacturers and suppliers of
industrial drums containing recovered materials.
Additional Links:
2007
Buy-Recycled Series: Miscellaneous Products (PDF) (7 pp, 146K, About PDF)
This fact sheet highlights miscellaneous products
designated in the CPG, including industrial drums, and
includes recommended recovered-content levels and a list of
resources.
Technical
Background Document (PDF) (215 pp, 381K, About PDF)
This background document includes EPA's product
research on recovered-content industrial drums as well as a
more detailed overview of the history and regulatory
requirements of the CPG process.
