Advice for Cleaning Chemical Tanks

[dourobob]

Hi
I need some help here and it is a safety issue of sorts.

I have found for sale a plastic container that was used for bulk agricultural chemicals (herbicides/pesticides). The tank is empty and, as far as I know has not been scoured clean.
It has a 1000 litre (about 220 gallons) capacity and has an 8 - 10" filler hole on top with a screw lid and a 2" ball valve at the bottom for emptying.

I don't know what chemical was in the tank (I will be picking it up next week and may have more information then).

I hope to use the tank to catch rain water for the garden, bring water from the pond to top up the swimming pool, use for power washing water supply, etc.

I'd welcome any advice on what to use to clean these tanks to ensure there would be no residue from the agricultural chemicals before using them for water.

In addition, I expect these tanks are suseptible to degradation from UV rays - should I try to paint it or would it be better to cover it with a tarp if I leave it outside?

Thanks

Bob

 

[bgott]

I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. The chemicals can leach into the plastic and you can never be sure of getting it clean. It sounds like you now own someone else's hazardous waste disposal problem. You really wouldn't want to use it for swimming pool water, people inadvertently drink that stuff. Have you priced a new one? We have lots selling those tanks new on the side of the freeway around here.

 

[MikePA]

No offense, Bob, but I would have passed on these containers. Whether it's a pesticide or herbicide, they both mean trouble. I agree with Brad, you've got someone elses problem now.

I wouldn't put anything in it that any human or animal might come in contact with. If it had herbicide in it, that could mean trouble for plants. 220 gallons is probably too big to store diesel (depends on how much you use).

I am not aware of anything you can do to clean the residude enough that I'd trust using it for. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

BTW, 220 gallons of water weighs 1,835 pounds. What were you going to use to move these containers?

 

[r0GuE]

Not that it needs rubbing in, but I MUST speak to reaffirm what has already been said. RUN away. There's no such thing as a little bit of Cancer.

 

[JerryG]

Bob,
Go over to Agriculture Online and ask them. This same question comes up all the time over there. These are the guys that use these tanks all the time and they do know how to clean them for other uses.

 

[dourobob]

Thank you all for bringing me to me senses. I can't believe I was so stupid to think the plastic was impermiable to the chemicals.

GerryG - that ag site confirms that the guys who use sprayers all the time are going through a lot more hoops that I am interested in just to use different chemical in their units.

I think my initial hope was in doing a thorough cleaning because a friend of mine had done it for a water supply tank he uses but, I found out last night that his tank was used for food grade syrups (a whole different story). He is trying to find out if he can get another one.

/\ /\ /\ - this is me RUNNING from the deal - I called the seller this morning and he says he understands - no problem.

Thank you again folks!!!
Bob

 

[CTyler]

I don't know how well this translates to chemicals...
It seems hard enough trying to get out tomato soup, that you can see, out of plasticware let alone something you can't see.