I have a lot of my food storage in 5 gallon food grade quality plastic buckets. As I have been rotating it over the last year or two I am finding that some of them have small splits in the center of the bottom. Does anyone have any idea why this would occur? I put 3 oxygen absorbers in each bucket after filling it. Was that too many do you think? Also, just in case anyone needs the info, I purchase these buckets at a local paint store, brand new, for $1 each (includes lid). I think you can probably find such deals about anywhere as I've had friends in other places check. Sometimes if you only want a few they will even give you the buckets. Deena

-- Deena in GA (dsmj55@aol.com), May 14, 2001

Answers

Stacking the buckets could possibly be amplifying the weight stress on them. The three dissicant packs shouldn't be affecting the plastic in that way.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL. (jayblair678@yahoo.com), May 14, 2001.

Sorry, meant to add this. We found when stacking plastic containers, it helps to stagger stack rather than one on top of the other to balance the weight out.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL. (jayblair678@yahoo.com), May 14, 2001.

Certain foods will produce gases if their containers are tightly sealed. And, like Jay said, weight could also be a factor.

Thanks for the hint about the paint store - we used to get ours at a local donut place, but we don't have those up here in the hills!! I will try that route, as I left tons of the things at home,and miss them dearly - they are the most handy things!!!!

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), May 14, 2001.

I was thinking it might have been temperature related??? Some plastic buckets are more brittle than others and the more rigid ones seem to crack under temperature extremes.

Another place you can probably get 5 gallon buckets from would be printing companies. We have tons of them and I clean them out and then clean them really well with hot soap and water. If you line with a plastic bag there is no problem with any potential residues. We give them away for the asking....well the ones that I don't take;}.

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), May 14, 2001.

Doreen, any idea what was in the buckets at the printing company? Thanks, Jan

-- Jan in CO (Janice12@aol.com), June 14, 2001.

? How do you store empty buckets? they nest so well but will lock together after a while. Is there an easy way to get them apart?

-- Bill Thorne (WTHORNE@EOSMITH.ORG), July 18, 2001.

Jan, plastisol ink. It's a petrochemical combination that cleans up with mineral spirits or the like (we have a wash tank that is picked up every month by Saftey Clean, a disposal company)and then after it dries I wash them thouroughly in hot soapy water with bleach, and line them with food grade clear plastic bags. Plastic is a petrochemical. All petrochemicals are carcinogenic after prolonged exposure. I don't know anyone making wooden buckets..;}

The best way to ensure that you can seperate the buckets after nesting is to put small blocks of cardboard between the rims. Works great!

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), July 18, 2001.