Sell Your IBCs
Turn Surplus IBCs Into Cash
We buy used IBC totes in any condition — clean, dirty, damaged, or decommissioned. Free pickup across the San Francisco Bay Area with same-week payment.
Get a Buyback Quote
Describe your IBCs and we'll send a no-obligation offer within 24 hours.
How It Works
Six Simple Steps to Sell Your IBCs
We've streamlined the selling process so you can go from first contact to payment in as little as 48 hours. No paperwork headaches, no haggling — just a fair offer and fast pickup.
Contact Us
Call, email, or fill out the form below with the quantity, approximate condition, and location of your IBCs. Photos are helpful but not required. Include details about previous contents if known — this helps us provide a more accurate quote upfront.
Receive Your Quote
Within 24 hours — often the same business day — we'll send you a no-obligation buyback offer based on the information you've provided. The quote breaks down per-unit pricing by condition category and includes any applicable bonuses for volume or clean containers.
On-Site Assessment (If Needed)
For larger lots of 20 or more IBCs, or when the containers have held specialized chemicals, we may schedule a quick on-site visit. Our assessor inspects a representative sample, confirms the condition grading, and finalizes the offer. This visit is free and typically takes under 30 minutes.
Schedule Pickup
Once you accept the offer, we schedule a pickup at your convenience. Most pickups happen within 2-3 business days of acceptance. We accommodate early-morning and weekend slots for facilities with limited access windows.
Loading & Hauling
Our crew arrives with the appropriate vehicle — flatbed truck, box truck, or roll-off trailer depending on volume. We bring our own equipment: forklifts, pallet jacks, and strapping gear. All we need from you is reasonable access to where the IBCs are stored. We handle every aspect of loading.
Payment
Receive payment on the spot via company check, or opt for ACH bank transfer processed within 48 hours. For large commercial transactions, wire transfer is also available. No invoicing headaches, no waiting 30 or 60 days — our commitment is fast, transparent payment every time.
What We Buy
Detailed List of Accepted IBCs
We purchase virtually every type of intermediate bulk container regardless of condition. Below is a detailed breakdown of what we accept and how each category is valued.
Clean, Single-Use IBCs
Containers that held water, glycerin, food-grade syrups, or other clean products. Intact cage, functional valve, no cracks. These command the highest buyback prices — often 40-60% of the cost of a new IBC.
Food-Grade Used IBCs
Totes that have been through multiple fill cycles with food-safe products. May show light staining or label residue. Valves and gaskets in working condition. We recondition these for resale to food-industry buyers.
Chemical / Industrial IBCs
Containers that held soaps, detergents, dyes, adhesives, lubricants, and non-hazardous industrial chemicals. Residue is expected and does not reduce buyback value significantly — we clean these in-house.
Hazmat IBCs
IBCs that held regulated substances including flammable liquids, corrosives, and toxic materials. We're permitted for hazmat handling and will manage proper decontamination. Previous contents must be disclosed for safe handling.
Damaged IBCs
Cracked bottles, bent cages, broken valves, UV-degraded HDPE, crushed pallets. We salvage usable components (cage steel, valve assemblies, intact pallets) and recycle the rest. Even heavily damaged units have material value.
Stainless Steel IBCs
304 or 316L stainless totes in any condition. Stainless IBCs carry premium buyback value due to high material worth. Dented, non-functional, and even corroded stainless units are accepted.
Assessment
How We Assess Condition
Every IBC we purchase is evaluated against a standardized condition rubric. Understanding these criteria helps you estimate what your containers are worth before we provide a formal quote.
Excellent
Single-use, clean interior, no cracks, straight cage, functional valve, sound pallet. Minimal cosmetic wear. Ready for immediate resale or reconditioning.
Good
Multi-use with light staining, minor scuffing, small label residue. Fully functional structurally. Cage may have cosmetic dents but no structural compromise.
Fair
Visible wear, moderate staining, possible minor HDPE warping. Cage may have bent (non-structural) tubes. Valve works but may need replacement. Repairable and recyclable.
Salvage
Cracked bottle, heavily damaged cage, missing components, severe contamination. These IBCs are purchased for component recovery and material recycling.
Pricing Factors
What Determines Your Buyback Price
Our buyback pricing is determined by a combination of factors. Here are the 12 key variables we evaluate when building your offer. The more favorable these factors are, the higher your per-unit price.
Container Condition
Clean, single-use IBCs earn the highest prices. Each additional use cycle and level of wear reduces the buyback value proportionally.
Previous Contents
Food-grade and water-based products result in higher prices. Hazardous or strongly staining chemicals (dyes, inks, tar) reduce value due to increased cleaning or recycling costs.
HDPE Bottle Integrity
Bottles free of cracks, warping, UV yellowing, and deep scratches are worth more. A cracked bottle that can't hold liquid drops the IBC to component/scrap value.
Steel Cage Condition
Straight tubes, intact welds, and functional galvanized coating add value. Bent cage tubes, missing cross-members, and heavy rust reduce the structural reuse potential.
Valve Functionality
A working butterfly valve with intact handle and clean threads is reusable as-is. Seized, broken, or missing valves subtract from the total — though we have replacement parts in stock.
Pallet Condition
Sound wood or plastic pallets with no broken runners are preferred. Damaged pallets are replaced during reconditioning, so the cost of a new pallet is factored into the offer.
Quantity
Larger lots earn better per-unit rates. At 20+ IBCs we offer a volume bonus, and at 50+ we provide premium bulk pricing. Single units are accepted but at standard rates.
Location / Access
Easy access with forklift clearance and ground-level or dock-height loading speeds up our pickup and keeps costs low. Difficult access (narrow aisles, upper floors, remote sites) may affect the offer.
Labeling & Branding
IBCs with removable labels are simpler to recondition. Permanently etched or heat-printed branding requires additional preparation, which marginally affects pricing.
Age & Manufacture Date
IBC bottles have a recommended service life (typically 5 years from manufacture for UN/DOT applications). Newer containers carry more residual value. The date of manufacture is molded into every HDPE bottle.
Market Conditions
Scrap HDPE resin prices, steel market rates, and current demand for used containers all influence what we can offer. We review market rates weekly to ensure our offers remain competitive.
Seasonal Demand
Demand for used IBCs peaks in spring (agriculture) and summer (beverage production). Selling during high-demand periods can result in better-than-average offers.
Pickup Logistics
We Come to You
Our fleet covers the entire San Francisco Bay Area including San Jose, Oakland, Fremont, and the Peninsula. For quantities of 4 or more IBCs, pickup is always free within the core Bay Area zone.
We load with our own equipment — forklifts, pallet jacks, and liftgate trucks. All we need is reasonable access to where the containers are stored. Dock-height loading preferred but not required. For ground-level access, our liftgate trucks handle everything.
Scheduling flexibility: We offer morning (7am-12pm) and afternoon (12pm-5pm) pickup windows, Monday through Saturday. Early-morning arrivals before your facility opens can be arranged for minimal disruption to your operations.
Minimum quantities: There is no minimum to sell us IBCs. Even a single container can be picked up, though a small transport fee applies for quantities under 4 units. At 4+ IBCs, pickup is completely free.
Our Fleet
Fleet Details
- 26-ft Box Trucks — capacity of 8-10 IBCs. Equipped with liftgates for ground-level loading. Ideal for pickups of small to medium lots from facilities without loading docks.
- 48-ft Flatbed Trucks — capacity of 16-20 IBCs per load. Used for larger pickups where side-loading or forklift access is available. Most efficient for lots of 15+ containers.
- Roll-Off Trailers — for very large quantities (50+) or when IBCs need to be stacked and transported in bulk. We position the container and you (or we) load over a period of days if needed.
- Forklift Service — our crew brings a truck-mounted forklift or we coordinate with your on-site equipment. Either way, you don't need to provide labor for loading.
Payment
Payment Timeline
- On-site check — handed to you at the time of pickup. Instant payment, no waiting.
- ACH transfer — processed within 48 hours of pickup. Funds appear in your account within 1-2 business days of initiation.
- Wire transfer — available for transactions over $5,000. Same-day processing upon request.
- Account credit — apply your buyback proceeds as credit toward future IBC purchases, cleaning, or other services.
Documentation
Required Documentation
To process your buyback efficiently, we ask for the following information. Most of this can be provided verbally or via email — no special paperwork is needed.
- Approximate quantity and container size
- Previous contents (product name or category)
- SDS (Safety Data Sheet) for hazmat containers
- Facility address and access instructions
- Photos (optional but speed up quoting)
- Tax ID or W-9 for transactions over $600/year
Tax & Compliance
Tax Considerations
Buyback payments are considered income and may be taxable depending on your business structure and accounting practices. Here's what you should know:
- We issue a 1099-MISC for cumulative payments exceeding $600 in a calendar year
- W-9 forms are collected for all commercial sellers
- Recycling income may qualify for certain environmental tax credits — consult your accountant
- We provide detailed transaction receipts for your records
- California sales tax does not apply to the sale of used containers from seller to buyer
Referral Program
Earn More by Referring Others
Know another business with surplus IBCs? Our referral bonus program rewards you for connecting us with new sellers. It's simple: refer a company, and when we complete a buyback transaction with them, you earn a bonus.
- $50 bonus for referrals resulting in a pickup of 4-19 IBCs
- $100 bonus for referrals resulting in a pickup of 20-49 IBCs
- $250 bonus for referrals resulting in a pickup of 50+ IBCs
- Recurring referrals — earn again every time your referred contact sells to us in the future
Bonuses are paid via check or account credit within 30 days of the completed transaction. There is no limit to the number of referrals you can make. Spread the word and earn.
Tips
Maximize Your Buyback Value
While we buy IBCs in any condition, here are practical tips to ensure you get the highest possible buyback price for your containers:
- Drain completely — empty containers are easier to handle and assess. Residual product adds weight and can complicate transportation.
- Keep valves intact — a functional valve adds significant value. Even if the IBC is damaged, leave the valve assembly attached.
- Store upright — IBCs stored upright on their pallets maintain cage geometry better than containers that have been laid on their sides.
- Keep out of direct sun — UV exposure degrades HDPE over time. Containers stored in shade or indoors retain higher grades.
- Sell in bulk — consolidate your IBCs and sell in larger lots to unlock volume bonuses and free pickup.
We Buy All Conditions
Your Used IBCs Have Value
Whether they're Grade A or heavily used, we'll make you an offer. Every IBC we collect is one less container heading to a landfill.
Clear Your Yard, Fill Your Wallet
Don't let surplus IBCs take up valuable space. Contact us for a fast, fair buyback offer and free pickup.