to jump to the article. Summary: We've featured four "Repurposed corner" ideas in our Progressive Dairyman Extra e-newsletters, thanks to Damon Carson of Repurposed Materials Inc. in Denver, Colorado. Carson recommended using a 275-gallon tote to store grain or water. to see comments from producers with additional ideas for the totes. [Click here or on the image above right to see the full list of the Top 25 articles of 2011. Click here to see the list from 2010.] ARTICLE The byproduct of industry: 275-gallon, steel beam-reinforced, plastic totes are manufactured to hold a variety of liquids from fertilizer to agave syrup. They are filled through the large, screw cap-covered opening on the top of the container and the contents can be dispensed using the spigot on the front. This makes for a very functional storage container that is easy to fill and dispense. So if these totes are so functional, why don’t the original users take them back? This is really a logistical issue as the companies often sell in bulk to a distributor who then sells to locations spread around the country. Once the contents are used, it is not economically viable to ship the totes back to the manufacturer, which becomes the genesis for the secondhand market. The repurpose: Discarded in near mint condition, once washed, the totes can be filled with practically any liquid or solid that can fit through the 1.5” diameter spigot. For dairy applications, the totes could make for excellent portable grain or water storage. I have also seen people sink the totes into the ground as septic systems or used in a variety of aquaculture and hydroponics applications. As always, if you have a unique “repurposing” idea, please contact me through the website. PD Damon Carson is the owner of www.repurposedmaterialsinc.com in Denver, Colorado. The company has a diverse selection of repurposed products for sale. Its motto is: “recycling by re-using byproducts of industry.” Check out other 'Repurposed corner' articles: • Conveyor belting • Street sweeper brooms • Recycled billboard tarps back to top COMMENTS