What to tell us about your totes
A sell ticket is complete when it says four things: last contents, the SDS, the rinse state, and the count by size and grade. Give those and the desk can move without back-and-forth.
01The four things
The order matters. Last contents come first because they decide who can use the tote next. The SDS comes second because it names the hazard and the rinse. Rinse state and count come last because they only matter once the first two are known.
- Last contents. Say what the tote held. It decides whether the tote can go back into chemical service, food or water use, or only to a washer or recycler.
- The SDS. Have the safety data sheet for those contents ready. It tells the desk what rinse is needed and who can take the tote.
- Rinse state. Say whether the totes are pumped out, rinsed, triple-rinsed or washed, and how much heel is left.
- Count by size and grade. Give the number of 275s and 330s, and the grade of each.
02Why each one matters before anything moves
| Ask | What it changes | If you do not know |
|---|---|---|
| Last contents | Which buyers can take it, and for what | Say Unknown; the desk routes it to an inquiry |
| SDS | The rinse and the hazard handling | Find the product name on the label and ask your supplier |
| Rinse state | The grade: used, rinsed, triple-rinsed or dirty | Describe what you did, in your own words |
| Count by size | Whether it is one tote or a trailer | A rough count is fine |
| Retest date | Whether it can return to hazmat service | Choose Not sure on the form |
03Tell it as a clerk would
Tell us the size, the last contents and whether the bottle is rinsed. That is most of the ticket. Then the plate: month and year of the last test, and the UN code. If you can read the plate, the retest date checker turns it into a due date; if you cannot, say so, and the desk will ask for a photo of the plate.
Do not send an SDS or a photo with a request you would not want stored with it. The desk will ask for what it needs once a ticket is open.
04What happens next
The desk replies with questions it still has, then with a match or with the reason it cannot make one. Hazardous or unknown contents are handled as an inquiry. A clean, current lot is matched against buyers who have posted. A dirty or damaged lot is routed toward washing, rebottling or recycling.
05The ticket fields, one by one
Hazard is read first. A ticket for a tote whose last contents were acute hazardous gets a general inquiry in reply and no promised pickup, because under 40 CFR 261.7 such a container is empty only after triple rinsing with a suitable solvent, an equivalent cleaning or removal of its liner.
| Field | Why the desk asks | A good answer |
|---|---|---|
| Last contents | It decides every use that follows | The product name as the SDS spells it |
| Rinse | Moves the heel out but proves little about the plastic | Pumped out, rinsed once, triple-rinsed, washed by a named company |
| Size | Pallet footprints and heights differ | 275 or 330 gallons, one lot per size |
| Plate | Carries the retest and manufacture marks | A photograph of the marking and the retest label |
| Count | A trailer fits 28 to 60 totes depending on size | A firm count, or a range marked as a guess |
| ZIP | Matching is local first | The ZIP where the totes stand |
06Post the ticket
?Questions on this page
What if I do not know what it held?
Say Unknown. The desk will not promise a pickup for unknown contents; it will ask for the label or the supplier’s name.
Does the desk need the SDS right away?
No. Post the ticket first. Have it ready for when the desk asks.