Repurposed IBC Products
Old totes, brand-new purpose. We transform retired IBC containers into rain barrels, planters, composters, water storage, and more — keeping plastic out of landfills and putting it to work.
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From industrial workhorses to creative solutions
Every retired IBC has the potential for a second life as something entirely new
Why Repurpose Instead of Recycle?
Recycling is good. Repurposing is better. When we recycle an IBC tote, the plastic is shredded and reprocessed — using energy and producing emissions. When we repurpose it, the container gets a second life with almost zero additional environmental cost. The steel cage, HDPE bottle, and pallet all continue to serve their original function in a new context.
Rain Barrels
Our IBC rain barrels are the most popular repurposed product we sell. A single 275-gallon IBC captures enough rainwater from one moderate storm to water a large garden for weeks.
Homeowners, community gardens, urban farms, off-grid water supply
$85 – $125
What You Get
- 275 gallon capacity — 4x larger than standard rain barrels
- Screened top inlet prevents debris and mosquitoes
- Bottom spigot connects to standard garden hose
- Overflow port for daisy-chaining multiple units
- Optional opaque cover to prevent algae growth
Raised Bed Planters
IBC totes cut in half make incredibly durable raised bed planters. The steel cage provides structure while the HDPE liner holds soil and retains moisture. We drill drainage holes and add landscape fabric.
Urban gardening, schools, community plots, balcony and patio gardens
$60 – $95
What You Get
- Cut to half or third height depending on crop needs
- Drainage holes pre-drilled in the bottom
- Steel cage frame keeps shape — no wood rot
- UV-resistant HDPE liner lasts 10+ years outdoors
- Wheelchair-accessible height when full-half
Composters
Repurposed IBC totes make excellent large-scale composters. The enclosed design retains heat for faster decomposition, while the cage provides structural support and airflow.
Farms, restaurants, community composting programs, large households
$75 – $110
What You Get
- Large 275-gallon capacity for serious composting
- Top-fill opening for easy addition of materials
- Bottom valve for collecting compost tea
- Ventilation holes drilled for aerobic decomposition
- Dark cover option to absorb solar heat
Water Storage Tanks
For emergency preparedness, construction sites, or off-grid living, repurposed IBC totes provide affordable bulk water storage. We clean and sanitize each tank specifically for potable or non-potable water use.
Emergency prep, construction, agriculture, off-grid homes, fire suppression
$70 – $150
What You Get
- 275 or 330 gallon storage capacity
- Food-grade cleaned for potable water (Grade A only)
- UV-protective cover included for outdoor placement
- Stackable for multi-tank installations
- Bottom valve for gravity-fed distribution
Animal Feeders & Waterers
Farmers and ranchers love our repurposed IBC livestock stations. We modify totes into gravity-fed water troughs, mineral feeders, and protected hay stations that serve herds of 20+ animals.
Cattle, horses, sheep, goats, poultry operations, hobby farms
$90 – $140
What You Get
- Gravity-fed design — no pumps or electricity needed
- Float valve option maintains constant water level
- Steel cage protects against animal damage
- Easy to clean and refill through top opening
- Can be mounted on trailers for rotational grazing
Aquaponics Systems
Our pre-built aquaponics kits transform a single IBC tote into a complete fish-and-plant growing system. The bottom serves as a fish tank while the top section becomes a flood-and-drain grow bed. We include the plumbing, pump, and growing media.
Schools, urban farmers, sustainability educators, hobby growers
$175 – $250
What You Get
- Complete kit — fish tank, grow bed, pump, and plumbing
- Bell siphon for automatic flood-and-drain cycling
- Grow bed holds 4 cubic feet of expanded clay media
- Fish tank section holds ~100 gallons
- Supports 20–30 plants and 15–20 tilapia or goldfish
Firewood Storage Racks
The steel cage from decommissioned IBC totes, stripped of the bottle, makes an incredibly sturdy firewood storage rack. Open on all sides for airflow, stackable, and won't rot like wooden racks.
Homeowners, wood-burning stove users, campgrounds, firewood dealers
$35 – $55
What You Get
- Galvanized steel — won't rot, rust-resistant
- Holds approximately 1/3 cord of firewood
- Stackable for larger wood storage needs
- Pallet base keeps wood off the ground
- Open design promotes air drying
Greenhouse Water Reservoirs
Cleaned and fitted with garden hose connections, our greenhouse reservoirs provide a convenient water source inside growing structures. The thermal mass of 275 gallons of water also helps regulate greenhouse temperature overnight.
Greenhouse growers, nurseries, hydroponic operations, market gardens
$80 – $120
What You Get
- Garden hose outlet for easy watering
- Thermal mass helps stabilize greenhouse temps
- Opaque cover prevents algae in warm environments
- Low-profile stand option for gravity-fed drip lines
- Food-grade cleaned for safety near edible crops
Dog Wash Stations
A modified IBC tote with a cut-out entry makes a spacious, self-contained dog washing station. The bottom valve provides easy drainage, and the steel cage prevents the dog from jumping out. Popular with breeders and groomers.
Dog breeders, groomers, kennels, dog daycares, DIY pet owners
$95 – $135
What You Get
- Large entry cut-out with smooth, safe edges
- Non-slip mat on the bottom surface
- Bottom drain connects to hose for easy cleanup
- Steel cage prevents escape during bath time
- Portable — can be moved with a pallet jack
Outdoor Shower Enclosures
An IBC tote mounted on a raised platform with a showerhead connected to the bottom valve creates a simple, effective outdoor shower. Paint the tote black for passive solar water heating — no electricity required.
Campgrounds, off-grid living, beach houses, pool areas, outdoor events
$100 – $160
What You Get
- Gravity-fed — no pump or electricity needed
- Black-painted tote absorbs solar energy for warm water
- 275 gallons provides weeks of showers
- Easy to refill with garden hose from the top
- Privacy screen attachment points on the cage
DIY IBC Project Ideas
Handy with tools? Buy a used IBC tote and turn it into something amazing. Here are popular projects our customers have built with secondhand containers.
Aquaponics System
Cut the IBC into a fish tank (bottom) and grow bed (top). The steel cage supports both levels. Add a pump to circulate water and grow vegetables fertilized by fish waste.
Outdoor Shower
Mount an IBC tote on a raised platform, paint it black, and connect a shower head to the bottom valve. Solar heating warms the water naturally for a free off-grid shower.
Biogas Digester
Seal an IBC tote and feed it organic waste. Capture the methane produced through a gas port on top. Small-scale biogas production for cooking or heating.
Worm Farm
Stack two cut IBC sections with a mesh divider. Worms in the top section process food scraps while castings and worm tea collect below for premium garden fertilizer.
Hydroponic Tower
Use the IBC as a reservoir and build a vertical growing tower from PVC pipes. Nutrient-rich water cycles from the tote through the tower and back. Grow 50+ plants in 4 sq ft.
Fish Pond / Koi Tank
Remove the top of the bottle, landscape with rocks and plants, and you have an instant 275-gallon backyard pond. The cage provides structural support and predator protection.
Tool Wash Station
Set up a self-contained wash station at job sites. Bottom valve feeds a basin for cleaning tools, boots, and equipment. Dirty water stays contained for proper disposal.
Chicken Coop Water System
Connect an IBC tote to nipple drinkers via gravity. One fill lasts a flock of 50 chickens over a month. No daily refilling, no spills, no frozen waterers with a heating blanket.
Soap Making Curing Rack
Remove the bottle and use the steel cage as a multi-level drying rack for handmade soap bars. Add wire shelves at different heights inside the cage for organized curing with great airflow.
Emergency Gray Water Tank
Connect an IBC to your washing machine drain or kitchen sink gray water line. Collected gray water is perfect for garden irrigation, toilet flushing, or car washing during droughts.
Deer Feeder Station
Mount an IBC tote horizontally on a raised frame and add a gravity-fed dispenser at the bottom for corn or feed pellets. The 275-gallon volume holds hundreds of pounds of feed for weeks of unattended operation.
Cold Plunge / Ice Bath
Cut the top off an IBC tote and you have a ready-made cold plunge pool. The cage provides structural support, the HDPE is food-safe, and the bottom valve makes draining and refilling simple. Add ice and you're ready to go.
We sell unmodified used totes starting at $40 for DIY projects. Need help with modifications? Ask about our custom fabrication service.
The Bigger Picture of Upcycling
Every IBC tote that gets repurposed is one less container that needs to be manufactured from raw materials. But the benefits go far beyond just keeping plastic out of landfills.
Reduces Demand for Virgin Plastic
Each repurposed tote eliminates the need to produce ~33 lbs of new HDPE plastic from petroleum.
Saves Manufacturing Energy
No factory energy, no transport from overseas production facilities, no packaging waste.
Conserves Water
Manufacturing new plastic requires significant water. Repurposing skips the entire production cycle.
Keeps Steel in Service
The galvanized steel cage contains 30+ lbs of metal that continues to be useful rather than being melted down.
Inspires Community Action
Visible repurposed IBC projects in gardens, farms, and neighborhoods inspire others to think creatively about waste.
Popular DIY Conversion Guides
Want to build it yourself? Here are detailed descriptions of our most popular IBC conversion projects to help you plan your build.
Rain Barrel Conversion
Tools needed: Jigsaw, drill, hole saw, garden hose adapter, screen mesh
- 1Clean the IBC thoroughly with a garden hose and mild detergent. Let it dry completely before starting modifications.
- 2Cut a rectangular opening in the top of the HDPE bottle (approximately 12" x 12") using a jigsaw. This will be your rainwater inlet from the gutter downspout.
- 3Cover the top opening with fine screen mesh (1/16" or smaller) secured with stainless steel screws and fender washers. This keeps out debris, leaves, and mosquitoes.
- 4Install a garden hose adapter on the existing bottom valve. Most adapters thread directly onto the S60x6 outlet. Apply thread tape for a leak-free seal.
- 5Drill a 1" hole near the top of the bottle (about 2" from the top) and install an overflow fitting with a short hose that directs excess water away from your foundation.
- 6Optional: wrap the tote with an opaque cover or paint the bottle black to prevent algae growth from sunlight exposure.
- 7Position the IBC on a level surface near your gutter downspout. Redirect the downspout into the screened opening. Your rain barrel is ready to collect.
Aquaponics System Build
Tools needed: Jigsaw, drill, PVC pipe and fittings, submersible pump, bell siphon kit, expanded clay media
- 1Mark a cut line approximately 1/3 from the top of the IBC bottle. Cut along this line with a jigsaw, creating a deep fish tank section (bottom 2/3) and a shallow grow bed section (top 1/3).
- 2Flip the top section upside down and rest it on the cage frame above the bottom section. The cage provides the structural support to hold the grow bed over the fish tank.
- 3Drill a 1" hole in the bottom of the grow bed (which is now the original top of the bottle) and install a bell siphon — this automatically floods and drains the grow bed.
- 4Install a submersible pump in the fish tank section. Run a PVC pipe from the pump up to the grow bed. The pump pushes water from the fish tank into the grow bed.
- 5Fill the grow bed with expanded clay media (LECA). This lightweight, porous media provides surface area for beneficial bacteria to convert fish waste into plant nutrients.
- 6Fill the fish tank with dechlorinated water. Cycle the system for 2–4 weeks to establish beneficial bacteria before adding fish.
- 7Add fish (tilapia, goldfish, or koi) and transplant seedlings into the grow bed. The system is now self-sustaining — fish feed the plants, plants filter the water for the fish.
Raised Bed Planter Conversion
Tools needed: Jigsaw or reciprocating saw, drill, landscape fabric
- 1Decide on the height you want: cut at half height for deep-root crops (tomatoes, peppers), or at one-third height for shallow-root crops (lettuce, herbs).
- 2Mark your cut line on the HDPE bottle. Use a jigsaw or reciprocating saw to cut along the line. The steel cage will remain at full height — that's fine, it provides structure.
- 3Drill 6–8 drainage holes (1/2" diameter) in the bottom of the cut bottle. Space them evenly across the bottom surface.
- 4Line the inside bottom with landscape fabric to prevent soil from washing out through the drainage holes while still allowing water to pass.
- 5Fill with quality garden soil mixed with compost. Leave 2–3 inches of space below the rim of the HDPE to prevent soil from washing over the edge.
- 6Plant your crops and water thoroughly. The HDPE retains moisture better than wooden raised beds, so you'll typically water less frequently.
Repurposed Product Pricing
Our repurposed products are priced to make sustainable choices affordable. All prices include the modification work and cleaning.
| Product | Price Range | Includes | Volume (5+) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rain Barrel (275 gal) | $85 – $125 | Screen top, garden hose adapter, overflow fitting | 10% off |
| Raised Bed Planter (half) | $60 – $95 | Drainage holes, landscape fabric lining | 10% off |
| Composter | $75 – $110 | Ventilation holes, dark cover, instructions | 15% off |
| Water Storage Tank | $70 – $150 | Food-grade cleaning, UV cover, hose adapter | 10% off |
| Animal Feeder/Waterer | $90 – $140 | Float valve, trough modification, instructions | 15% off |
| Aquaponics Kit | $175 – $250 | Cut tote, pump, plumbing, bell siphon, media | 10% off |
| Firewood Rack (cage only) | $35 – $55 | Cleaned cage, pallet base | 20% off |
| Greenhouse Reservoir | $80 – $120 | Food-grade cleaning, hose adapter, UV cover | 10% off |
| Dog Wash Station | $95 – $135 | Cut-out entry, non-slip mat, drain hose | 10% off |
| Outdoor Shower | $100 – $160 | Shower head, mounting hardware, instructions | 10% off |
| Unmodified DIY Tote | $40 – $75 | Cleaned used tote for your own project | 20% off |
All prices include modification work and basic cleaning. Custom modifications (specific valve types, paint colors, additional fittings) are available for a small additional charge. Free pickup at our Baltimore facility.
Customer Inspiration Gallery
Our customers have built some incredible projects with repurposed IBC totes. Here are some of their stories.
Community Garden Collective — Fells Point
A neighborhood gardening group purchased 6 IBC rain barrels and daisy-chained them together along a community center roofline. The 1,650-gallon system now irrigates 30 raised bed plots throughout the summer without using any city water. They estimated $800 in water savings in the first season alone.
Green Acres Farm — Carroll County
This small cattle operation bought 8 IBC animal waterers and positions them across rotational grazing paddocks. Each tote is mounted on a trailer hitch so it can be towed to the next paddock with an ATV. The gravity-fed float valve system means their 40-head herd always has fresh water without daily trips to the field.
Baltimore Urban Sustainability Project
A local nonprofit purchased 4 aquaponics kits for Baltimore City middle schools. Students learn biology, chemistry, and sustainable agriculture through hands-on aquaponics. Each system produces enough lettuce and herbs for the school cafeteria's salad bar while teaching STEM concepts in a real-world context.
Chesapeake Brewing Co.
A craft brewery in Canton purchased 3 rain barrels to collect rooftop rainwater for their on-site hop garden. The gravity-fed drip irrigation system waters 50 hop plants throughout the growing season. They estimate 2,000+ gallons of rainwater harvested annually — water that goes directly into their locally-grown ingredients.
Backyard Homesteader — Towson
A suburban homesteader built a 4-tote system: 2 rain barrels for garden irrigation, 1 composter for kitchen scraps, and 1 aquaponics system for tilapia and lettuce. All four IBC totes came from our facility for under $400 total. The system now provides a significant portion of the family's produce and reduces household waste by 40%.
Camp Chesapeake — Eastern Shore
A summer camp purchased 5 outdoor shower units for their lakeside facilities. Painted black and mounted on elevated platforms, the totes heat naturally to comfortable showering temperature by late afternoon. At 275 gallons each, a single fill lasts the camp 2–3 days of camper showers with no electricity cost.
Have a repurposed IBC project you’d like to share? Send us your story and photos — we’d love to feature your build on our site.
Share Your ProjectRepurposing vs. Recycling: Environmental Benefits
Both repurposing and recycling are better than landfill. But repurposing has a significantly lower environmental footprint. Here’s why.
Repurposing (Better)
Recycling (Good)
The Bottom Line
Repurposing one IBC tote saves approximately 15 kWh of energy, 7.5 kg of CO₂ emissions, and 90 gallons of water compared to recycling it. Multiply that by the thousands of totes repurposed annually in the Baltimore area and the environmental impact is substantial.
Ready to Give an Old Tote New Life?
Browse our ready-made repurposed products or buy a used tote and build something yourself. Either way, you’re making a positive impact.