Odor from Water Storage Buckets

[TheBigDrewsky]

Howdy and Happy Saturday

I purchased 3 50 gallon barrels with lids for RODI and Salt Water - purchased these from PriceRite -
They have a pretty strong “petroleum like” odor - the bottom of the barrels note HDPE 2 - pics attached for reference.

Are these really food / water grade safe? Any way to eliminate the odor?

Thoughts?

Thanks!

Andrew

 

[Casino]

Yes. high-density Polyethylene (HDPE) is food safe. Pricerite receives many of its foods in these barrels. That smell is actually from the plastic itself. They sit closed after being emptied. You can run bleach and water in them and then let them air dry for a day.

 

[TheBigDrewsky]

Yes. high-density Polyethylene (HDPE) is food safe. Pricerite receives many of its foods in these barrels. That smell is actually from the plastic itself. They sit closed after being emptied. You can run bleach and water in them and then let them air dry for a day.

On another website - folks are saying the black barrels are composite plastics and the REC imprinted on the bottom means recycled - strong cautions against using the black ones - I may have to return these and just get 55 gallon brutes instead - better to know now than too late -

 

[Casino]

I don't believe that's accurate. Rec means it's recyclable plastic. The black is reinforced.They are stiffer than the blue ones.

Here is something I found online....

Black MDPE vs Blue MDPE - what's the difference?
Under BS EN 12201 plain black MDPE is used for above ground drinking water (potable) systems, whereas blue MDPE is used for drinking water systems below ground. Pushfit compression fittings are typically used in this application for sizes 20-63mm, and electrofusion fittings for larger diameters.

Under EN 13244 black HDPE can be used for industrial water systems as well as sewage pump mains - although in these applications you would typically use black HDPE with brown stripes. Only use electrofusion or butt fusion jointing methods in this application.

MDPE or HDPE - what material is used?
The polyethylene material used to manufacture black MDPE is actually high density polypropylene; technically the product is named black HDPE but the market and industry still refer to this product as black MDPE. The change was made to improve product quality with tough PE100 material, as black HDPE can be used for both drinking and industrial water supplies, while still being compatible with pushfit compression fittings as well as electrofusion and butt fusion joining methods.

It is not prone to rot, corrosion, or stress cracking making it suitable for the above ground conditions you would expect. Also available in sizes 20-63mm in coils of 25m, 50m 100m and 150m.

Just like blue MDPE the term black alkathene is known but not often used, and relates to the commercial name of polyethylene back in the early 20th century; black alkathene and black MDPE have been replaced with black HDPE.

 

[TheBigDrewsky]

I don't believe that's accurate. Rec means it's recyclable plastic. The black is reinforced.They are stiffer than the blue ones.

Here is something I found online....

Black MDPE vs Blue MDPE - what's the difference?
Under BS EN 12201 plain black MDPE is used for above ground drinking water (potable) systems, whereas blue MDPE is used for drinking water systems below ground. Pushfit compression fittings are typically used in this application for sizes 20-63mm, and electrofusion fittings for larger diameters.

Under EN 13244 black HDPE can be used for industrial water systems as well as sewage pump mains - although in these applications you would typically use black HDPE with brown stripes. Only use electrofusion or butt fusion jointing methods in this application.

MDPE or HDPE - what material is used?
The polyethylene material used to manufacture black MDPE is actually high density polypropylene; technically the product is named black HDPE but the market and industry still refer to this product as black MDPE. The change was made to improve product quality with tough PE100 material, as black HDPE can be used for both drinking and industrial water supplies, while still being compatible with pushfit compression fittings as well as electrofusion and butt fusion joining methods.

It is not prone to rot, corrosion, or stress cracking making it suitable for the above ground conditions you would expect. Also available in sizes 20-63mm in coils of 25m, 50m 100m and 150m.

Just like blue MDPE the term black alkathene is known but not often used, and relates to the commercial name of polyethylene back in the early 20th century; black alkathene and black MDPE have been replaced with black HDPE.

Hello and thank you for the information you found online - I appreciate the extra information -

I guess I would feel better or “more assured” if someone who is in the know would simply smell these containers - I mean - this really smells very very strong, pungent, even what I would describe as petroleum-like. They are in the basement - lid off - and the basement now smells of these containers -

So how do I resolve? Do I fill will RODI and send an ICP to see if anything is out of the ordinary with parameters or chemicals leeching?

On a non rainy day this week will bleach one - rinse and let air dry to see if there is appreciable difference -

Thanks for the discussion!

 

[Kens Bees]

I got mine from FB marketplace. I was concerned about the smell when I first got them home so left them outside, covers off, for a week or so before rinsing and bringing in to the basement. After a year of RO and fresh salt through the pair they still smell like capers.

 

[TheBigDrewsky]

I got mine from FB marketplace. I was concerned about the smell when I first got them home so left them outside, covers off, for a week or so before rinsing and bringing in to the basement. After a year of RO and fresh salt through the pair they still smell like capers.

So I just decided I wasn’t going to take a chance. Bought two of the blue barrels from a place off 116 in Rhode Island. No petroleum smelling crap at all. I feel better about the situation which at the end of the day is a good thing.

 

[Duds]

So I just decided I wasn’t going to take a chance. Bought two of the blue barrels from a place off 116 in Rhode Island. No petroleum smelling crap at all. I feel better about the situation which at the end of the day is a good thing.

How much do they charge? Peace of mind is nice in this expensive addiction.

 

[Casino]

So I just decided I wasn’t going to take a chance. Bought two of the blue barrels from a place off 116 in Rhode Island. No petroleum smelling crap at all. I feel better about the situation which at the end of the day is a good thing.

I know that cell phone lol!

 

[TheBigDrewsky]

How much do they charge? Peace of mind is nice in this expensive addiction.

They were like $92 each. Small price to pay for some peace of mind!