Dry wall buckets?

[500592]

I have heard of some people using drywall buckets to collect sap in and is that a good idea

[Jeff E]

I think that is a water based product. Makes me think you could get them clean, and odor free.
I have used them for other things, and they cleaned up nice. Worth trying a few out...

[happy thoughts]

I have heard of some people using drywall buckets to collect sap in and is that a good idea

No, because there is no assurance that they are food grade, made from plastic that has not been in contact with toxic chemicals and/or have not been contaminated by something in the drywall mix. They may clean up nice but you can't tell what may have been absorbed by the container and cannot be washed away.

You can often get similar food grade buckets from a grocery or bakery used for pastry filling, icing, etc. Most places give these away for free. Why risk it when a better alternative is available?

[500592]

So the numbers on the buckets don't correspond wether or not it is food grade?

[happy thoughts]

So the numbers on the buckets don't correspond wether or not it is food grade?

You got it. All the number indicates is what the container is made out of, not whether that container is food grade. Food grade plastic is generally virgin plastic or made from recycled containers that previously held food only.

[PerryW]

I used them for years before I knew any better. They look exactly like the food-grade ones I bought several years ago, but you just can't be sure.

[500592]

Okay thanks for the info I can clean the buckets and return them for the same amount that it costs to buy food grade ones

[wcproctor]

You better tell all those people that use the Home Depot buckets. It is only cold sap. it not like you are heating the sap in the bucket, the heat will bring out the bad stuff.

[mathprofdk]

You better tell all those people that use the Home Depot buckets. It is only cold sap. it not like you are heating the sap in the bucket, the heat will bring out the bad stuff.

Sorry, but there are lots of other threads on this topic. I just started this year and so bought some buckets from Home Depot and Lowe's. After finding this site and spending many hours reading, I'll either be returning them or selling them on Craigslist. I just picked up 15 buckets at a local donut shop for cheap today.

If you're making it for friends and family like I am, do you really want to risk giving them something that has estrogenic chemicals that have leeched into it from your buckets? I like to sleep easy, so it's an easy choice for me.

~DK

[happy thoughts]

You better tell all those people that use the Home Depot buckets. It is only cold sap. it not like you are heating the sap in the bucket, the heat will bring out the bad stuff.

I've been trying to tell them!!!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen: I feel like I've become the very annoying food grade plastic queen. Sorry, but I feel that this is absolutely the kind of thing that could ruin what amounts to a small farm and cottage industry and force gov't regulators to step in if we don't police ourselves the best we can.

I have read extensively on the subject over the last week and have reviewed a lot of FDA standards for food packaging. All plastic containers are not made alike nor are they all safe for food storage, hot cold or frozen.

And if that doesn't convince you I have one word for you- China. Look where lax quality control got them. Toxic chemicals in cough syrup, millions of pets harmed from toxic plastic in food, and then there's the toxic drywall they also produced. I think that's 'nuf said:)

[500592]

Well I heard someone say that they were okay and I hope this thread makes people double check their containers.

[driske]

What is it that makes people think anything that will hold water is OK for sap??
I've used to buy sap for nearly 30 years. Every potential supplier was given the food grade sermon. Most followed directions and used products made to handle food stuffs. Yet spot checks of some woods showed any and all kinds of containers in use. I gave up and quit buying sap this year. Let someone else try to educate the hard heads.
This season so far has been the least stressful and most gratifying sugaring experience I've had in ages. Fresh sap handled daily, start to finish in food grade materials makes nice safe syrup. Nothing less is acceptable.

[argohauler]

A friend of mine works at the Canadian Gypsum Company and he got me around 70 12L drywall pails. They were all new and never used. They had a labelling problem or something like that and they couldn't use them for their product.

I looked at the bottom side and they are made in Canada by a E. Hoffmann Plastics and they say they are FDA approved. I also have other plastic pails from Hoffmann's.

They have a 1 800# on the bottom of the pail. I was thinking of calling and seeing what they charge for new pails.

[happy thoughts]

A friend of mine works at the Canadian Gypsum Company and he got me around 70 12L drywall pails. They were all new and never used. They had a labelling problem or something like that and they couldn't use them for their product.

I looked at the bottom side and they are made in Canada by a E. Hoffmann Plastics and they say they are FDA approved. I also have other plastic pails from Hoffmann's.

They have a 1 800# on the bottom of the pail. I was thinking of calling and seeing what they charge for new pails.


I looked at the hoffman website. http://www.hofmannplastics.com/heavy-duty-plastic-pales/

They claim all their pails are suitable for food. If you are absolutely sure they are in mint condition and have never been filled or used for non food purposes then I think you could trust the ones you were given as suitable for food use. But call the 800# you have to make double sure that they are.

[argohauler]

Yes I'm confident they are safe and I know they never had anything in them.

It was either a labelling problem or that product formulation wasn't offered any more and they had a few skids of them.

[jmp]

Happy thoughts and driske hit the nail on the head. Bottom line, you are making a product that others will eat. Small price to pay to insure you are being diligent and protecting not only yourself but consumers.

A brand new 5-gallon food grade pail is only 4-6 bucks and used food grade pails are in abundace.

Good luck! :)

[BryanEx]

You better tell all those people that use the Home Depot buckets.
Actually... Home Depot buckets, at least in Canada, are made by ICL Plastics. I contacted them directly about the food grade issue of their HD branded pails quoting all markings on the bottom and they were good. That being said, I have noticed the buckets have changed since I bought mine and I have not contacted them to confirm they are still good for food products or if they have been downgraded to cheaper plastic. I would not personally put 220 degree syrup in any plastic container no matter what the manufacturer claims. The closest I would get would be hot packing plastic syrup jugs but that's just me.

[CBOYER]

Plastic and hot is a no-no. Have work in heavy chemical industry for 15 yrs, and see all kind of degradation from any kind of plastics (pe, pp, hdpe, pvc, cpvc, abs, kynar, saran, ptfe, tfe, etc..). all of them, when submit to heat for a prolonged time release their plasticizer, and absorb products.

Any long time exposition to plastic, even cold, could be negative. I dont know in US, but in Qc, it is clearly mark on package that Syrup must not be keep in plastic jugs more than 3 months.

Whit today knowledge, stainless steel (series 300) seem the best material for long term storage of our precious syrup in bulk, or glass and tin can for detail.

Beside of this, collecting cold sap in galvanized bucket is probably worse than using any kind of clean plastic pail, when you think that galvanizing is extremly porous and "sacrifical" protection on rusted steel.

[happy thoughts]

Plastic and hot is a no-no. Have work in heavy chemical industry for 15 yrs, and see all kind of degradation from any kind of plastics (pe, pp, hdpe, pvc, cpvc, abs, kynar, saran, ptfe, tfe, etc..). all of them, when submit to heat for a prolonged time release their plasticizer, and absorb products.

Any long time exposition to plastic, even cold, could be negative. I dont know in US, but in Qc, it is clearly mark on package that Syrup must not be keep in plastic jugs more than 3 months.

Whit today knowledge, stainless steel (series 300) seem the best material for long term storage of our precious syrup in bulk, or glass and tin can for detail.

Beside of this, collecting cold sap in galvanized bucket is probably worse than using any kind of clean plastic pail, when you think that galvanizing is extremly porous and "sacrifical" protection on rusted steel.

Although not a US regulation to the best of my knowledge, I recently posted what the maple folks at Cornell U. had to say about syrup in plastic. Their recommendation is to store in the refrigerator and that it's grade will degrade after 3-6 months. If anyone wants the link I'll repost it.

As far as who to look to for quality regs, my choice would be Canada, particularly Quebec, which seems to be in the forefront of this. I believe they will be requiring all SS for bulk storage and processing. My next go-to regs would be Vermont. These are the largest producers of syrup. And if they don't know and insure quality in the industry, no one does.

Again, just my 2 cents.

[backyard sugaring]

I use the 5 gallon jugs you would find in a office water cooler. They are food grade, durable, water tight, and free. Put a tree saver into the tree, cut the tubing, set the jug on the ground and wait for the sap to start flowing.

[wcproctor]

Ok. All I have to do laugh at this, So I have buckets from Home Depot, Lowes, local hardware store AND a local BAKERY. Today I was cleaning them all and look at the bottom of them and they are all the same #2 HDPE plastic.So then how is every one of you packaging your syrup(plastic). The Sugarhill (food quality) PLASTIC jugs that everyone uses are #2 HDPE. Look on the bottom of them.

[500592]

You got it. All the number indicates is what the container is made out of, not whether that container is food grade. Food grade plastic is generally virgin plastic or made from recycled containers that previously held food only.

The numbers are only for recycling.

[happy thoughts]

Ok. All I have to do laugh at this, So I have buckets from Home Depot, Lowes, local hardware store AND a local BAKERY. Today I was cleaning them all and look at the bottom of them and they are all the same #2 HDPE plastic.So then how is every one of you packaging your syrup(plastic). The Sugarhill (food quality) PLASTIC jugs that everyone uses are #2 HDPE. Look on the bottom of them.

Between laughs, can you tell me how you can tell the difference by just looking at the recycling number?

What was the origin of the material used to make each of them? Was the container made from virgin plastic or made from recycled material that may have held pesticides, toxic cleaners, motor oil or any number of other chemicals most people don't want mixed with their pancakes?

[Kev]

Between laughs, can you tell me how you can tell the difference by just looking at the recycling number?

What was the origin of the material used to make each of them? Was the container made from virgin plastic or made from recycled material that may have held pesticides, toxic cleaners, motor oil or any number of other chemicals most people don't want mixed with their pancakes?
exactly
One manufacturer sells only food grade #2's with the exception of their black ones they are not food grade. The non-food grade ones are higher priced in any quantity ordered. So it stands to reason if I ran a drywall compound company I would be buying the white ones instead of the black ones. Sure they were food grade when they hit my recieving dock. But by the time they hit my shipping dock they will never be food grade again. but it doesn't change the recycling number on the bottom.
now the icing company down the street gets the same buckets and puts icing in them. they are still food grade when the maple addicts descend on their customers looking for good sap buckets....:D

[French]

I use the 5 gallon jugs you would find in a office water cooler. They are food grade, durable, water tight, and free. Put a tree saver into the tree, cut the tubing, set the jug on the ground and wait for the sap to start flowing.

this is what I'm doing next year!

[happy thoughts]

this is what I'm doing next year!

This is how we do it now. Nice thing is on trees with multiple taps you can connect the lines to drain into the same bottle.

[markct]

I use the 5 gallon jugs you would find in a office water cooler. They are food grade, durable, water tight, and free. Put a tree saver into the tree, cut the tubing, set the jug on the ground and wait for the sap to start flowing.

just handle them carefull, on a cold morning they shatter! been there done that!