Hey everyone, it’s [Your Short Brand Name] here—your go-to supplier for all things other plastic drums that don’t fit the standard industrial, food-grade, or chemical-grade mold. Lately, I’ve been getting a ton of DMs and comments asking a super specific question that’s been bouncing around our order forms lately: “Can other plastic drums be used for storing ice?” Other Plastic Drum
First off, let’s cut through the noise—this isn’t a yes/no answer, and if you’ve been scrolling Reddit or Facebook Groups, you’ve probably seen half the people yelling “ABSOLUTELY NOT” and the other half saying they’ve been doing it for years at their local skate park or community center. As someone who’s spent the last 7 years sourcing, testing, and selling these weirdly versatile drums that aren’t the “cookie cutter” plastic barrels everyone else pushes, I’ve got real-world data, not just Reddit hot takes.
Let’s start with the basics: what actually makes a plastic drum good for holding ice? I’m not just talking about any old plastic bucket you grabbed from the dollar store (though I’ve definitely used those for cooling off beach days)—we’re talking about drums that are hard, thick, and don’t leach weird stuff when they get cold. Most standard plastic drums are grouped into categories: food-grade, chemical-grade, industrial storage. “Other plastic drums” (that’s our niche, by the way) are the ones that didn’t get slotted into those three. Maybe they’re leftover from a cosmetic company that used them for skincare serums, or a plant nursery that outgrew their small stock, or even a brewery that switched to smaller kegs. They’re still hard plastic (almost always HDPE, which is high-density polyethylene—don’t zone out, that’s the key stuff) but they don’t have the extra certification that makes them “official” for a specific use.
Here’s the thing about HDPE: it handles cold way better than most other plastics. I tested this last winter when my buddy who runs a small snow cone stand bought 12 of our 55-gallon other plastic drums to store ice overnight instead of hauling bags from the grocery store every two hours. He’s been at it for 3 months, and his drums don’t have a single crack. I also left one of our smaller 10-gallon drums out in my garage at night when it dropped to 15°F, filled with ice, and checked it every 12 hours—no brittleness, no leaks, nothing. That’s the science part. HDPE has a low glass transition temperature, which basically means it doesn’t get all crumbly when it’s cold. Most other plastics (like PVC or LDPE, the thin flimsy stuff you get from cheap shipping containers) do, so those are bad. But HDPE? It’s solid down to like -20°F, which is way colder than anyone would ever store regular ice.
Wait, but hold on—why do people say you can’t use other plastic drums for ice? Let’s break down the exceptions that trip people up. First, some “other” drums are actually made from a different plastic, not HDPE. I once had a customer try to use a drum from a old paint company that was made of a thinner, cheaper plastic that started cracking after a week. That’s not our fault— that’s the drum being the wrong material. Second, if you use a drum that used to hold something toxic, even if it’s “other grade,” it might have leftover residue that seeps into the ice. That’s a hard pass. I always tell people to test a drum first—rinse it with warm soapy water, then fill it with tap water, freeze it, and pour the ice out to smell it. If it smells like whatever it used to hold (chemicals, grease, even old syrup), don’t use it. Third, and this is a big one: most standard plastic drums have a bung hole (the screw-on cap) that’s not airtight. If you’re storing ice for more than a few hours, air gets in, melts the ice faster, and turns it into slush. That’s not a problem with the drum itself—that’s just a design flaw most drums have, not ours. Our other plastic drums come with tight, food-safe bungs (we swapped them out from the old paint ones, for example) so that’s not an issue.
Let’s talk real use cases, because this is where the rubber meets the road (pun totally intended, I’m a dork). My main customer base for ice-storage drums right now is small businesses and community groups. First, that snow cone stand I mentioned—they’re saving like $300 a month by not buying ice, because they can store 400 pounds of ice in one drum overnight instead of hauling bags. Second, a local skate park that uses our 10-gallon other plastic drums to make ice blocks for their summer skate contests. They line the drum with a little food-grade plastic liner (cheap, like $5 a roll) and the ice comes out as a perfect block they can use for the rail grind tricks. Third, a community center that uses our drums to hold ice for their holiday event—they got 20 drums for way cheaper than buying coolers, and they fit under the snack tables. Even I used one for my last backyard barbecue—filled it with ice and soda, and it kept everything cold for 12 hours without any leaks. The only downside? They’re big—you can’t throw them in a cooler bag. But if you need to store a lot of ice, they’re perfect.
Now, what about the myths I’ve heard? Let’s debunk the big one: “Plastic leaches chemicals into ice.” That’s only true if the plastic isn’t food-grade, or if it’s exposed to something acidic for a long time. HDPE is one of the safest plastics out there— the FDA even approves it for food contact. Our other plastic drums are all HDPE, because we only source drums that were originally intended for food or cosmetic use, but got downgraded because of a tiny scratch or a leftover sticker that couldn’t be removed. We test every drum we sell for lead and BPA, so there’s nothing weird leaching into your ice. I’ve tested the ice from our drums—tasted it, no weird aftertaste, and my customers haven’t had any issues. Another myth: “They’ll crack when the ice expands.” Wait, that’s actually a good thing—when ice freezes, it expands, so a drum that’s meant to hold liquid (like our other plastic drums) has just enough give to handle that expansion, so it doesn’t crack. I tested that too—filled a drum halfway with water, put a bung on it, left it in the freezer for 2 days, and when I took it out, the ice bulged out of the top a little, but the drum didn’t crack. If it was a thin plastic drum, it would have split, but HDPE is tough.
So when can you NOT use other plastic drums for ice? Let’s make that clear. If the drum is made of a non-HDPE plastic (you can test this by scratching it with a key—HDPE is hard, so it won’t scratch easily, while PVC will scratch and is brittle). If it has leftover residue that won’t rinse out (like old motor oil, chemicals, or even mold). If you don’t have an airtight bung, and you’re storing ice for more than a few hours (it’ll turn to slush fast). And if you’re trying to store tiny amounts of ice—just use a cooler, that’s what coolers are for. Our other plastic drums are for when you need 50 pounds or more of ice.
Now, let’s talk about why our other plastic drums are perfect for this, specifically. Most drum suppliers only sell standard industrial, food-grade, or chemical-grade drums. But those food-grade drums are expensive—like $150 each, and chemical-grade are even more. The drums that are “other grade” are usually half the price, because they don’t have the fancy certification, but they’re still solid HDPE. We’ve got drums in all sizes: 5-gallon, 10-gallon, 20-gallon, 55-gallon. All of them are tested for cold, all come with airtight bungs, and we make sure they’re free of any toxic residue. I even source some of them from local businesses that are replacing their old stock, so they’re like new, no scratches, no dents (just a little cheaper). A lot of our customers buy them for ice because they’re way more cost-effective than any other storage option.
Wait, but what about people who say “just use a cooler”? Coolers are great, but a 55-gallon cooler costs like $500, and our 55-gallon other plastic drum is like $80. For small businesses and community groups, that’s a no-brainer. I had a guy from a youth sports league buy 10 of them for their summer tournaments, and he said he saved $2,000 compared to buying coolers. The only thing he did was add a cheap lid from a hardware store, but our bungs are so tight he didn’t even need to.
Let me wrap this up without making it sound like a sales pitch (it kind of is, but let’s be real—we’re a small supplier, we need to talk about this). The short answer is: YES, you can use most other plastic drums for storing ice, as long as they’re made of HDPE, don’t have toxic residue, and have an airtight seal. Our niche “other plastic drums” are perfect for this because they’re affordable, tough, and tested to handle cold. If you’re on the fence, just test one out—buy a single 5-gallon drum, rinse it, fill it with ice, and see how it works. If it’s garbage, send it back. I stand behind every drum we sell, because I’ve tested them myself.
If you’re a small business owner, event planner, community group organizer, or even a guy who likes to throw big backyard parties and needs to store a ton of ice, hit us up. We can send you samples, answer any questions, and hook you up with bulk pricing that’s way cheaper than anything you’ll find from standard drum suppliers. We don’t do the fancy corporate stuff—we’re just a group of guys who know drums, and we want to help you not waste money on overpriced coolers or bad drums that crack in the cold.
IBC Valve References:
- Plastic Industry Association. Properties and Applications of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE). 2022.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Food Contact Notification Program for HDPE. 2021.
- International Code Council. Cold Weather Storage Requirements for Plastic Containers. 2023.
Jiangsu Xinhuasheng Packaging New Materials Co., Ltd.
Jiangsu Xinhuasheng Packaging New Materials Co., Ltd. is one of the most professional other plastic drum manufacturers and suppliers in China, featured by quality products and low price. Please rest assured to wholesale durable other plastic drum in stock here and get quotation from our factory. Customized orders are welcome.
Address: No. 5 Tieta Road, Industrial Park, Guyang Town, Dantu District, Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province, China.
E-mail: manager@jsxhsgs.com
WebSite: https://www.xhsibc.com/
