Kitty Litter Pails for Sap??? :)

[dennisn418]

Anyone use, or think of using, the 50lb kitty litter pails to collect sap? Obviously they can be cleaned and bleached so I don't really see why they couldn't be used....other than the potential strange look from your neighbors....any thoughts or experiences on non conventional collection containers??? Regardless of how "clean" you can get it, the material it was made from is not suitable for food.

[motowbrowne]

Anyone use, or think of using, the 50lb kitty litter pails to collect sap? Obviously they can be cleaned and bleached so I don't really see why they couldn't be used....other than the potential strange look from your neighbors....any thoughts or experiences on non conventional collection containers???

Personally I'd never consider using them. About the most non-conventional bucket in my stack had dish detergent in it originally.

[DrTimPerkins]

Buckets such as this were not originally constructed with food-grade plastic, and thus might contain different types of regrind materials (unknown origin), as well as plasticizers, colorants, etc. that are non-food-grade.

[prairietapper]

they make real nice garbage cans. so they have that going for them

[GraniteStateJoe]

I try to stick to food grade plastics. I did use a 50 32 gallon trash barrel for permeate though since I could not get another 55gal drum in time. I figured since I was not going to be consuming it, I would be ok. I do however see people hauling sap around in trash barrels as well as collecting in them so you are not the only person that sees no problem using non FG. I think about it like the old galvanized containers that everyone was and still are using with all the lead in them. They obviously thought that was fine back in the day. Who knows if there will even be such a thing as food grade plastic in the future. I try to stick to it anyway in case there really is something there.

[WESTMAPLES]

i go to local bakerys and dunkin donut ( the one they make them at ) and get them free or for a couple bucks , usually there freshly emptied FG 5 and 2 1/2 gal frosting buckets, clean them out real good , and you have something decent to start with

[upsmapleman]

Well you at it I bet kitty litter would work for filter aid.

[maple flats]

Any recycled plastics are never food grade because there is no way of knowing what they may have contained or come in contact with. Use only buckets or jugs that had food in them. You have 9 months to get a supply. Check at bakeries, (even the bakery dept in a Walmart or such) for buckets. In my first year I went to a Chinese Restaurant and got all of their empty 5 gal cooking oil jugs for about 4-5 weeks. I then put a hole in the cap to run the tubing in. They took 3-4 times to clean them well, then 4 good rinses, but they worked well. And they were free.

[Russell Lampron]

Anyone use, or think of using, the 50lb kitty litter pails to collect sap? Obviously they can be cleaned and bleached so I don't really see why they couldn't be used....other than the potential strange look from your neighbors....any thoughts or experiences on non conventional collection containers??? Regardless of how "clean" you can get it, the material it was made from is not suitable for food.

Is this a joke?

I try to stick to food grade plastics. I did use a 50 32 gallon trash barrel for permeate though since I could not get another 55gal drum in time. I figured since I was not going to be consuming it, I would be ok. I do however see people hauling sap around in trash barrels as well as collecting in them so you are not the only person that sees no problem using non FG. I think about it like the old galvanized containers that everyone was and still are using with all the lead in them. They obviously thought that was fine back in the day. Who knows if there will even be such a thing as food grade plastic in the future. I try to stick to it anyway in case there really is something there.

I have been told that the Rubbermaid "Brute" trash cans are food grade. I have never checked this out to see if it is in fact true but I have seen them used to store baking supplies in restaurants.

[wnybassman]

I am not sure it would be the best "image" for sugar making having kitty litter buckets collecting sap seen by the public. I do, however, like those buckets and use them for numerous non-food related things.