What sells and what recycles
Every tote on a back wall is in one of five states, and the parts say which. A tote with a straight cage, a clear bottle, a sound valve and a whole base has a second life as it stands. A tote with a good cage and a bad bottle is a rebottling candidate. A tote with a bad cage but a good bottle and valve is a source of parts. A cracked-everything tote is HDPE and steel for recycling.
The grader walks that sorting for you. Walk a wall once, send the counts by grade, and the request already says what is there.
| What you see | Grade | Usual next step |
|---|---|---|
| Straight cage, clear bottle, sound valve and base | Used, as-is or rinsed | Resale for reuse, often to a same-product buyer |
| Good cage and base, chalky or cracked bottle | Rebottling candidate | Rebottling: new bottle in the cage |
| Bottle and valve fine, cage bent or welds cracked | Damaged | Parts, or a replacement cage |
| Everything cracked, broken or unrecognisable | Damaged | Recycling of steel and HDPE |
| Product still inside, or unknown contents | Dirty, or not cleared | Washing, or the SDS first. See last contents |
Who sells here
Operations managers at distribution buildings along the I-10, I-15 and SR-60 corridors hold the most totes: customer returns, damaged inbound loads, a tenant's leftovers. Plants in Corona and Chino finish a product run and are left with empties. Growers retire a water system. A lease turnover or an audit turns a back wall into a deadline.
The warehouse lots page is for the 20-to-80-tote wall. The empty totes page covers what makes an empty sellable. Disposal, removal and pickup prep cover clearing a site. Damaged totes covers the broken ones.
What the request needs
- Counts by grade, or your best guess at the condition: used, rinsed, dirty or damaged.
- The size, 275 or 330 gallon, or mixed.
- The last contents, or "unknown" if you cannot say.
- The ZIP code the totes sit in, and whether a forklift or a dock is on site.
The reply says what can be done with what you described. This site states no prices, minimum quantities, who pays for freight or turnaround times.
What a seller can do before asking
Count the totes and group them by size. Photograph three plates, one valve and one bottle. Note what the totes last held and whether any have been outdoors. Those four pieces of information let a lot be graded quickly.
If the contents are unknown, say so and leave the caps on. Do not drain anything. An honest unknown is much easier to work with than a guess.
A seller's second step
Once the lot is counted and photographed, decide how flexible you are on timing. A site that can wait a few weeks can usually have the lot sorted and sold in parts. A site that needs the bay empty by Friday should say so, because that points toward a clearance route that is quick rather than the route that returns the most.
Say also who can sign. Owners, managers and landlords have different rights over a lot, and the plan depends on who is in the room.
Honest ranges, no promises
A lot of sound, straight-caged totes can be sold. A lot of unknown ones needs disposal. A lot of wrecked ones goes to recycling. Most real lots are a mixture, and the aim of the grader is to split them cleanly so each part takes its own route.
After the lot list
Questions about photographs, access and last contents are common with any lot. Having answers ready keeps things moving.
Selling versus clearing
Selling aims at a return; clearing aims at an empty bay. They overlap but they are not the same. Tell us which matters more and the plan can lean the right way.
A final thought for sellers
Photographs sell totes. Take them in daylight and show each side.
Ways to clear totes
Questions people ask
Do I need to clean totes before I send a request?
No. Say what they held and what condition they are in. Do not drain or move anything you cannot identify; find the SDS first.
Can I sell just a few totes?
You can ask. Say the count in the request.
What if I do not know what is in them?
Choose "unknown". The grader does not clear them for food, water or any new product, and the reply will ask what you can find out.
Sources. Last reviewed 2026-11-11.