# 5 gallon buckets- Home Depot or food grade?



## Pete O (Jul 13, 2013)

Where does everyone get their honey processing buckets and are they food grade or simply Home Depot grade?

Us Plastics has food grade buckets but they aren't cheap.


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## tuzserhu (Dec 8, 2013)

Our Lowes carries food grade plastic ones.


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## KPeacock (Jan 29, 2013)

Tuz is correct. lowes carries FG buckets. they are just a touch more expensive than the normal ones, but not prohibitively so. search their website for 

Encore Plastics 5-Gallon Food Grade Plastic Bucket

Item #: 356492 | Model #: 50640 

the price muight vary by location. Here it's just a bit under $4


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## CajunBee (May 15, 2013)

If your just using it to transfer or short term storage (a couple days), then probably doesn't matter. Long term storage would make me wonder what is leaching out of the plastic.


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## MaydayMalone (Jan 19, 2012)

$3.99 for the bucket and $1.99 for the lid at Lowe's. Just bought one last week. Found it in the paint section. They are white and stamped "Food Grade" on them.


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## tommyt (Aug 7, 2010)

There is a code (Google it) it's in the triangle on the bottom of the bucket 
I'm betting. Lowes Home Depot both are food grade 

I think it maybe be HDE that means food grade ??


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## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

I picked up a food-grade bucket at Lowes (for mixing syrup) ... I was surprised to see they carried them (actually they only had one in stock) and that they carried them in the PAINT department.

But we've got two piddly hives and don't expect to extract much honey this first year. A full 5-gallon bucket seems like a waste. Any recommendations for sources for smaller food-grade containers? Gallon or two-gallon ice cream containers maybe?


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## Jon B (Apr 24, 2013)

I would recommend getting food grade, even if they are more money. I have found them at many different stores. Some grocery stores have bulk food sections where I have found buckets. I have also found them at some kitchen supply stores. I occasionally see them at Walmart.


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## Snakejumper (Jul 3, 2011)

A local Chic-Fil-A manager is letting me get some of their one gallon mayonnaise buckets the year. Check with a similar establishment near you.


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## mgstei1 (Jan 11, 2014)

The symbols on the recycle code as O.K. for food is 1,2,4,5 with 2 being actual food grade.
I would not keep any honey very long in any plastic and never sell in plastic containers.
But that's me.


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## gone2seed (Sep 18, 2011)

Phoebee said:


> Any recommendations for sources for smaller food-grade containers? Gallon or two-gallon ice cream containers maybe?


Most beer and wine supply stores carry glass gallon jars.The ones here are the small neck variety like cider comes in.They are about $13.00 for case of four.Price will probably vary depending on location.


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## Ennui (Jun 6, 2013)

I've only got 3 hives, so I use 1 gallon buckets. I get them for free from the grocery store. The bakery there makes lots of cakes and they buy all the frosting in 1 gallon buckets. Then they trash the bucket. Just walk up to the bakery and ask.

I get my free burlap from a nearby coffee house. All the beans get shipped in burlap bags and they toss hundreds of bags per week.


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## rwurster (Oct 30, 2010)

Food grade for honey, any grade for carrying euquipment. Only my white buckets are food grade so it's easy to spot them.


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## BeeTech (Mar 19, 2012)

Grocery stores with a bulk section (mine is a Winco) often carry them. Also many doughnut shops generate a supply which they sell cheap ( their fillings come in them ).


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

What is it about a plastic that makes it food grade? The chemical composition of the plastic? Is food grade plastic coated w/ something for some reason?


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## WPG (Mar 28, 2010)

sqkcrk said:


> What is it about a plastic that makes it food grade? The chemical composition of the plastic? Is food grade plastic coated w/ something for some reason?


Food grade is made with virgin plastic, absolutely no post consumer recycled plastic.

Most everything else has some to save on costs.

I get gallon, 2 gallon, 3.5 & 5gal all with lids for 50 cents to $2 from my local grocery store bakery.

Oh, and most of the color dye additives used are not certified food safe.


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## mnflemish (Jun 7, 2010)

Yep, at a bakery or grocery store with bakery deli. As others said several sizes. Much cheaper than Home Depot or Lowes. Just a buck or two and sometimes free otherwise they go to the landfill.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

WPG said:


> Food grade is made with virgin plastic, absolutely no post consumer recycled plastic.


Why?


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## Dodgerdoob (Mar 18, 2011)

I've actually spoken with Encore Plastic about their buckets. Any of their white or clear-ish buckets are food grade HDPE. That's most of the buckets you'll find new.


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## rwurster (Oct 30, 2010)

sqkcrk said:


> What is it about a plastic that makes it food grade? The chemical composition of the plastic? Is food grade plastic coated w/ something for some reason?


That's a very good question that I have often wondered about myself.

HDPE with a '2' in the recycle symbol. Cheap at walmart. Make sure the lid has the same markings.


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## BeeGhost (May 7, 2011)

Go to your grocery store bakery and talk to the ladies in there, often their icing comes in one gallon buckets, and they almost always throw them away.


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## windfall (Dec 8, 2010)

HDPE high density polyethylene, is the most common food safe plastic.
Polyethylene has a pretty good track record for chemical stability, durability, and and minimal leaching.
But it does readily absorb certAin materials....ever try to get the smell of pickles or BBQ sauce out of a reused bucket?
Artificial fragrances used in many body and cleaning products are particularly bad, and easily noticed by smelling recycled HDPE

These substances can migrate into the plastic and then leach back out into contents later, so care must be used when repurposing plastic containers.

The recycling process does nothing to scrub these contMinants from the plastic when reformed. And once you are using plastic from the post consumer waste stream, there is no control over what was in those containers getting ground up and blended with virgin plastic.....laundry soap, insecticide, drain cleaner....you get the idea

It would be quite possible to get off favors or even serious toxins by using recycled material for foodstuffs.


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## sfisher (Sep 22, 2009)

sqkcrk, I did a lot of research on this last year, and it has something to do with the releasing agent that they lube the molds up with. There was actually even a post from someone who worked in a factory were they made 5 gallon buckets.


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## Bob J (Feb 25, 2013)

Food grade is the only way to go.... I get all mine free from my local bakery.... Any place that works with bulk food ingredients should be more than happy to let you take them....


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## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

We were looking for funnels last week, hoping to find one that either included a screen or which could hold one, with enough capacity to filter small batches of honey. The ones in the bee catalogs seem to be for 5 gallon buckets again. The Bed Bath and Beyond had nothing suitable. The salesman suggested we try an auto parts store.

Yeah, I even have a screened funnel that would work, but with a dubious history of straining chemicals. For the reasons stated above, I'd be really reluctant to use anything from an auto parts store. Food-grade is clearly preferable, and probably should be required if you are selling honey.


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## Bob J (Feb 25, 2013)

Phoebee said:


> We were looking for funnels last week, hoping to find one that either included a screen or which could hold one, with enough capacity to filter small batches of honey. The ones in the bee catalogs seem to be for 5 gallon buckets again. The Bed Bath and Beyond had nothing suitable. The salesman suggested we try an auto parts store.
> 
> Yeah, I even have a screened funnel that would work, but with a dubious history of straining chemicals. For the reasons stated above, I'd be really reluctant to use anything from an auto parts store. Food-grade is clearly preferable, and probably should be required if you are selling honey.


You might try a local (or online) beer/wine hobby store..... I make my own wine/beer/mead and have several that I bought locally that I use that might fit what you are looking for.....

http://morebeer.com/products/funnel-screen.html

http://www.eckraus.com/funnels-strainers?p=1


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## JellyB (Jan 6, 2014)

I bought a stainless steel funnel with a screen for dairy use at an auction. I love it. I use it mainly for first step filtering of used vegetable oil that I use as fuel in my diesel VW Jetta (not biodiesel, SVO only). I just run it through the dishwasher to clean it. We did use it for maple syrup last week. Look up dairy funnel, its big with at least a 6 in. drain hole holds about a gallon or more.


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

A couple of years ago I bought food grade buckets on ebay. I use them for honey as well as maple syrup (sap) so the dual use has paid off well for me.


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## xcugat (Mar 4, 2008)

I am getting crazed about the bucket issue. I just got some buckets free from a local bakery and some are plastic no 2 HDPE which is definitely food grade but others were no 5 which is polypropylene which may be food safe-I know they had bulk filling for cakes in them but I did not think to ask if the buckets had a plastic bag lining with the filling or if they were straight filled up. Anyone know about Polypropylene?


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

If the buckets had a number 7 recycling/resin code, they may _not _be polypropylene, which is normally coded as #5. More here: 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resin_identification_code


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## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

Polypro is a close chemical cousin of polyethylene. The monomer is just a carbon longer. It tends to be a little stiffer and so is a good choice for rigid things like buckets. It can be high purity, but the same arguments apply regarding recycled content or prior use that might leave residue.

Unlike vinyl or some other plastics, I don't think either polyethylene or polypropylene require additives such as plasticizers, and both should be available in food grade. But look into that 7 marking. It could be the liners were food grade but not the bucket itself.


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## xcugat (Mar 4, 2008)

Oops--

I got so fast fingered with the post I stuck a 7 in there--They are marked with a 5 actually, which I understand to be polypropylene, which May/should be food grade, especially considering what was in them?


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## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

Go to the local bakery if you want smaller buckets icing comes in 3 gal buckets and they usually give them away


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## Hoot Owl Lane Bees (Feb 24, 2012)

A jar of Honey goes a long way when asking for buckets at your local bakery.
Have them place it in the break room.
I was given over 200 icing buckets since Jan. 1 and they were even calling me when they had 5-6 ready for me.
I had to ask them to stop as we had enough, now I also have more customers for this years honey.


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## candlaman (Nov 17, 2007)

Our county health department requires bakeries to destroy used buckets. They cannot be reused.&#55357;&#56867;


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## funwithbees (Mar 27, 2010)

Good thread. BUT--- at the current pricing for honey, we should pack a pail of artisanal honey in a new FDA approved pail-especially if you are selling in that pail. Its all about image. Most customers expect a new pail when they pay 160-$200+ for a 60 of honey.Used FDA pails are OK around the honey house, but how much is your time worth to clean them out, chase to get them etc.
Nick


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## ggleavitt (Feb 12, 2014)

http://www.wikihow.com/Identify-Food-Grade-Buckets


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## carlinmo (Jun 6, 2010)

Try your local BBQ joint. They get sauce and spices in 5 gal buckets. My favorite one sets them outside for anyone to take for free. I have picked up a couple hundred for various uses.


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## Marysia2 (May 23, 2014)

candlaman said:


> Our county health department requires bakeries to destroy used buckets. They cannot be reused.&#55357;&#56867;


 My possibly feeble understanding is that the _bakery_ cannot re-use them. And where I live (Cape Cod-ish...) the supermarket bakeries will hand them over if they have any buckets hanging around.


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## Phoebee (Jan 29, 2014)

Marysia2 said:


> My possibly feeble understanding is that the _bakery_ cannot re-use them. And where I live (Cape Cod-ish...) the supermarket bakeries will hand them over if they have any buckets hanging around.


Well, you just never know what sort of gross contamination one might find around a bakery. Perhaps it would be something that would not wash out using the same sort of detergent and water you use to clean dishes to eat off of. And that's just a horrible thought when you are considering storing fermented insect spit.

Aaargh, this throw-away, germaphobic world. 

I can just imagine what would happen if the people writing such rules ever found out how cheese is made. Or beer. Or wine.


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## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

Just found some at wallmart paint section, eventheir blue buckets are hdpe 2 and less than $3


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## jjohnsind (Apr 24, 2014)

I own a small restaurant and we go through (and throw away) about 3-4 5 gallon pickle buckets a week. We also go through about 2 - 3 gallon sauerkraut & sport pepper buckets a week. Ask around some of your local restaurants, but if they agree to save some for you, pick them up FREQUENTLY. We'll save some for those who ask, but we also don't want a bunch of them piling up out back because the people won't come around enough to pick them up.


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## matt1954 (Sep 8, 2010)

One other source, is your local grocery, especially a giant or martins. Ask them for the empty pickle buckets they throw away, then just buy a new lid. We clean them out with bleach and buy a new lid if we are selling the buckets. If not, we use old ones that we cleaned.


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## dsegrest (May 15, 2014)

Never use a bucket that is not food grade for food. Most bars and restaurants buy stuff that comes in food grade plastic buckets. They will give you these buckets and even wash them out for you. Some will retain the smell from whatever was in there (ie: pickles) so let them stand open for a while.


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## JustinH (Nov 11, 2013)

dsegrest said:


> Some will retain the smell from whatever was in there (ie: pickles) so let them stand open for a while.


That's what I have. Buckets that held pickles. If after cleaning they still smelled like pickles, would that make the honey smell/taste like pickles?


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## Intheswamp (Jul 5, 2011)

sfisher said:


> sqkcrk, I did a lot of research on this last year, and it has something to do with the releasing agent that they lube the molds up with. There was actually even a post from someone who worked in a factory were they made 5 gallon buckets.


Ditto. Along with the conditions of manufacturing...to be food grade the release agent has to be "food grade" and the conditions that the buckets are manufactured in must be sanitary similar to a food processing area. 

...then they probably laugh when they throw them in a cardboard box or shrink-wrap them on a pallet all of which most likely :scratch: isn't foodgrade. They then put them on a truck (along with other things...shovels, paint, bathroom hardware, nails, cleaning solutions, etc.,) for transporting to the BBS. Once there they unload them on an unsanitary loading dock and move them to a pesticide treated warehouse and eventually stacked "open air" for John Q Public to pick from like he's buying cantalopes. John Q Public just happened to have that new strain of influenza going around while he pawed through the buckets. Or, maybe the Bobbsy twins are playing in the aisles as their parents look over paint colors? What's more fun that putting buckets over your head and playing like monsters or somethihg? What? They both have some seriously snotty noses, but no problem...they're just playing with some buckets, hand them a hanky. Food grade??? Yeah, but... inch:

I get my buckets at Lowes. I'm *reasonably* sure that when those yellow "food grade" stickers are stuck on the buckets that the buckets were food grade...but I'm reasonally sure the buckets lose that "certification" or whatever you call it...pretty quickly.

Wash your new buckets (and lids) very well. Please. 


Ed


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## bevy's honeybees (Apr 21, 2011)

sfisher said:


> sqkcrk, I did a lot of research on this last year, and it has something to do with the releasing agent that they lube the molds up with. There was actually even a post from someone who worked in a factory were they made 5 gallon buckets.


My son is a machinist in a plastics factory that makes containers for yogurts and such. When I talk to him this weekend I will ask him this question.

What I do know is that when he goes to work, they all wear hairnets, only workers are allowed in to keep factory sanitary, very clean, thngs like that. I keep hoping they will start making honey containers and I could get seconds real cheap. 

I used to get round 5 gal pails with lids free from Walmart. Now they use rectangle, so I use those for cut outs, wax cappings and such as.


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## psfred (Jul 16, 2011)

Food grade plastic absorbs odors and releases them into honey, so I'd not use anything with pickles, hot sauce, sauerkraut, etc for honey under any circumstances.

Use ONLY new and labeled buckets for selling honey, it avoids all sorts of problems. Wash well first, but they should be OK as is if bought in bulk (they will be shrink wrapped if they are). Used buckets will give you fits with complaints, and a new bucket will go a long way toward protecting you from contamination complaints.

The bucket is cheap compared to the honey, after all.

For use in the honey house, so long as you keep them clean and don't use ANY pesticides in the house, you are fine with washing between uses.

For actual equipment, save your nickles and dimes and buy stainless when you can, it lasts much longer and it is possible to actually clean and sanitize it.

Peter


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## frankthomas (Aug 2, 2012)

My local grocery stores bakery throws 5 gallon frosting buckets out weekly. If I catch them before they toss them I get them free.


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## Ravenseye (Apr 2, 2006)

If you have a local ice cream stand that makes their own, check with them. Often, the fruit they add (peaches, cherries, etc.) come in food grade buckets. Could be a good source.


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## PHSINV (May 4, 2014)

[QUOTE I get my buckets at Lowes. I'm *reasonably* sure that when those yellow "food grade" stickers are stuck on the buckets that the buckets were food grade...but I'm reasonally sure the buckets lose that "certification" or whatever you call it...pretty quickly.  Ed[/QUOTE]

Food grade is not about the temporary sanitary condition of the bucket when it was made (whether it has bacteria on it's surface) , it's about what the bucket is made of, and that doesn't change no matter how dirty it gets. Paint buckets or whatever else can be made sanitary (from a bacteriological standpoint) but they can't be made food grade.


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