The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Growing => Gardens => Topic started by: Clarebelle on February 13, 2015, 05:10:59 pm

Title: reusing sodium hypochlorite barrels?
Post by: Clarebelle on February 13, 2015, 05:10:59 pm: My husband works at a water treatment plant and they have loads of big empty sodium hypochlorite barrels and he asked me today if they could be used as plant pots?

Obviously they would be thoroughly washed before use but does anyone know if it would be safe to grow veg in them once they've been cleaned?
Title: Re: reusing sodium hypochlorite barrels?
Post by: spandit on February 13, 2015, 05:56:21 pm: You're basically talking about bleach. From what I've read, it does degrade over time so I'd think that after a thorough wash, leaving them out in the rain for a few weeks would render them safe. Depends if you can still smell the chemical afterwards?
Title: Re: reusing sodium hypochlorite barrels?
Post by: fsmnutter on February 13, 2015, 08:31:15 pm: Milton sterilising fluid for baby bottles is sodium hypochlorite, at 1%.
Id say if washed out repeatedly to dilute it far enough, it should be absolutely fine.
Title: Re: reusing sodium hypochlorite barrels?
Post by: HesterF on February 16, 2015, 01:58:05 am: Just be careful where you put the wash water too - if you've got a septic system, you probably don't want the washings going into it but neither will you want to just pour it out on the ground. It is the active ingredient in bleach but even in Domestos it's only something like 20% of the formulation so if you're dealing with it neat, it'll be quite vicious. Has he not got any barrels of something more friendly?
Title: Re: reusing sodium hypochlorite barrels?
Post by: cloddopper on February 16, 2015, 02:02:10 am: Quote from: Clarebelle on February 13, 2015, 05:10:59 pm
My husband works at a water treatment plant and they have loads of big empty sodium hypochlorite barrels and he asked me today if they could be used as plant pots?

Obviously they would be thoroughly washed before use but does anyone know if it would be safe to grow veg in them once they've been cleaned?

As there has been no soap or perfume in them they will be ideal .
I used to use similar bleach & containers that were used in a dairy to sterilize the equipment .
I gave them two washes out & drain downs with clean hot water , a cold rinse and a drain out over night , then a cold water refill left it over night then a final drain down which saw them fit for making gallons & gallons of bulk beers & wines for many years.
Title: Re: reusing sodium hypochlorite barrels?
Post by: Clarebelle on February 16, 2015, 07:03:14 am: Thank you for your input everyone, I think I'm going to give them a try. My research also suggests they should be ok as long as they are washed out thoroughly, they will even be nicely sterilized ready for planting!
Title: Re: reusing sodium hypochlorite barrels?
Post by: cloddopper on February 16, 2015, 01:55:32 pm: They tend to be made of a food safe plastic as well which is a great help .