IBC Tank - Nalcolyte?

[DaveB]

I have access to a brand new empty IBC tank that contained a food grade product called Nalcolyte. It's used in water conditioning. I'm assuming because it's a food product that it's OK to use but I wanted to ask. Any thoughts? I can obviously rinse the tank well but I wasn't sure since I haven't seen it specifically mentioned.

[maple flats]

Not safe. Do a Google search and the Material Data Safety Sheet will come up. Bad stuff, it is highly toxic!.
Just because a product is used to treat water does not mean it is safe. Most of the chemicals used are toxic, they need to be used in exactly the right amount. Think Chlorine or Flouride, both will kill. Read the papers and decide if you want even a trace of that in the syrup you feed your kids. It is likely illegal to reuse that container, and if not it should be!

[Scm]

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[maple flats]

This: http://www.orcapacific.com/MSDS/industrial/Nalco8105.pdf and
This: https://books.google.com/books?id=C1ZZD07I5tIC&pg=PA402&lpg=PA402&dq=Nalcolyte&source=bl&ots=a2Wxb-1dh1&sig=5RHg47AQuBstM8XyycUuTbbEYlo&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi9352L36vZAhVMYK0KHQdFAN0Q6AEIMjAB#v=on epage&q=Nalcolyte&f=false
They sure look bad to me. The second one is a list of toxic substances by that name.

[eustis22]

Whatever you do Dave don’t get the tanks from the tropical place in Salem ma.

Well, ****.

I've been using one of those for seven years now. I don't sell my syrup. So basically there is NOTHING plastic that is food grade?

[Scm]

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[Scm]

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[Scm]

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[The Sweet Spot]

We have 4 IBC tanks from a bakery in south Michigan. They held food, HF corn syrup. IBC totes are impossible to clean with the holes provide without special equipment. We cut a hole in the top of each one the size of a plastic 5 gallon bucket just below the horizontal ribs under where the bucket lid snaps on. Make the hole in the IBC tank fit snug to this area of the bucket. Cut the bucket about 1" below the lowest horizontal rib. Use epoxy or caulk to secure the bucket to the top of the IBC tote. Make sure the epoxy or caulk does not enter the inside of the tote. Once it dries you have a larger hole for cleaning the inside, and you can snap on a lid to keep the elements out of your tote. Our previous Ag. Inspector required this to be done for adequate cleaning. He also required us to photograph the lable and keep it for our records, as the next inspector would not know. There were many totes that did carry ingredients considered (safe or non harmful, or non toxic) that he would not accept. Remember they allow aspartame to be added to our food as a sugar substitute, and call it safe. If you do the research you will find it has been linked to dementia and Alzheimer's. After you eat it your body turns most of it into FERMELDHIDE! Just because it is used in a food processor facility does not make it safe. Most of us do not know the toxicity of what has been absorbed into the tote, and the absorption rate of said remaining product into your sap. Does it boil away? Be safe and ask the professionals, that's what your Ag department is for. Good luck everyone with the upcoming season.

[DaveB]

Just to update everyone, I decided not to use the tank. First, the tanks were not cleaned as the seller had indicated and there was a strong chemical smell inside. Knowing how plastic absorbs odors and then concentrating it did not make that aspect comfortable to me. I also needed it for this past weekend which meant that the tank was out. There were too many things saying that I shouldn't use that tank.

I wound up buying a standard pickup tank which was more expensive but at least I know that it is OK.

I'll keep looking because I do see them as being good designs. It just has to either be new or have had something that I can live with.

[eustis22]

what I do at the end of each season is dump 20 gallons of hot water in there, add a little bleach, and roll the tank on the ground vigorously (yeah I know, I know). then I let it sit 24 hours/side. At the end of the week, I use a power washer to rinse out the inside. drain everything I can out, then let it sit in the sun and bake dry.

[Ghs57]

I'll only buy an IBC that held something mild that could be eaten right out of the tank. The ones I have held canola oil and corn oil. No strong smell, and they cleaned up pretty easily.

[Scm]

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[Ghs57]

“Mild” would be putting it lightly.
Stop Using Canola Oil Immediately! 6 Canola Oil Dangers
https://draxe.com/canola-oil-gm/
I’m guessing you meant corn sugar, or maybe high fructose corn syrup. Either wouldn’t be much better with their own list of side effects.
The Not-So-Sweet Truth About High Fructose Corn Syrup
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/high-fructose-corn-syrup-dangers_b_861913.html

The ONLY way to avoid all dangers of leaching, would be to use stainless steel. Something I can’t afford right now.

Agree on the stainless steel.

The ones I have did not hold HFCS. Vegetable oil of some kind. The tag is gone, but I would not have bought it otherwise. Personally, I don't use canola oil. After cleaning and a few years of use, there can't be much residue in the tank. It seems you can find a report on nearly everything stating the detrimental health effects from every day use. It's amazing we are not all dead.

[bigschuss]

I'd sure sleep better at night using an IBC that held Canola oil than I would using one that held Nalcolyte.

[DaveB]

I'd sure sleep better at night using an IBC that held Canola oil than I would using one that held Nalcolyte.

I agree. Even if it had Canola oil, after rinsing we would probably only see minute quantities on the order of PPB and the studies linked above are about the straight use of Canola oil.

I seem to recall a story from someone on this forum that was offered some stainless steel tanks but they had previous contained some chemical. They cleaned the tanks several times even using solutions to clean every nook and cranny but no matter what they did, they still had the chemical smell. The bottom line to me is that you can never be 100% certain.

[eustis22]

What about barrels that contained salt or olive oil? Yea or nay? I need storage for my permeate

[Scm]

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[Scm]

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[David Wayne]

I just picked up two new never used IBC totes, they have that new plastic smell. Will that get absorbed in the sap? If so how do I get rid of it?