Why Steel Drums?
Steel drums are safe, cost effective, and easy on the environment, making them the smart choice for the reliable shipment of both hazardous and non-hazardous materials. Steel drums provide safe transport for about 50 million tons of material worldwide each year. Virtually all steel containers can be reconditioned or recycled for reuse, which ranks steel drums high in sustainability and leads to significant back-end cost savings. And because U.S. Department of Transportation incident rates indicate that steel drums are the safest containers, insurance rates for steel drum shipments are the lowest.
safety & Security
With consistent strength and durability, and an unparalleled safety record, steel drums are the most widely used industrial package in the world for the shipment and storage of hazardous goods.
Fire Control
Extensive fire testing at the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, TX, demonstrated that 55-gallon steel drums closed with plastic fittings, filled with highly flammable material and stacked four drums high, are able to withstand a fierce blaze.
As the plastic fittings melt, the containers vent, dissipating heat and pressure that might otherwise be a threat to first responders. What’s more, the steel drum retains its structural integrity in the face of direct heat and flame, making packaging failure unlikely and ensuring that flammable or combustible contents are controlled.
Warehousing
Fire prevention is a key concern for warehouses and other industrial sites. Steel drums are non-combustible, fire- and weather-proof, and able to withstand extreme temperatures and pressure variations.
NFPA 30, the National Fire Protection Association’s code for storage of flammable and combustible liquids, prescribes safety standards that offer economic benefits as well. The ability to stack up to four drums high doubles the storage space of 55-gallon drums without increasing their footprint. “Going vertical” makes storage costs more affordable for shippers and allows warehouse owners to enhance revenue by maximizing storage space.
Regulations
ISDI members manufacture steel drums made from high-grade carbon steel in accordance with the American National Standards Institute’s rigid standards and requirements for materials handling (ANSI MH-2). They also use a standard set of testing procedures to ensure compliance with globally accepted safety regulations developed by the U.N. Sub-Committee on the Transport of Dangerous Goods.
Purchasers of ISDI-member manufactured drums can be assured of products of the highest quality that will readily stand up to the rigors of the transport environment as products move through the supply chain.
Product Range
While the 55-gallon steel drum is the most widely produced, ISDI members also manufacture steel drums to customer specifications, based on the commodities being transported. Contact ISDI or one of its manufacturer members to learn how to best meet your packaging needs for hazardous and non-hazardous products.
NFPA 30
Following extensive fire testing in San Antonio, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) revised its code for the warehousing of flammable and combustible liquids, increasing the safe stacking height of palletized steel drums from two to four drums high in warehouses with foam and water fire suppression systems.
This doubles storage space without increasing the warehousing footprint, saving money while safely managing the fire hazards associated with the storage of hazardous materials.
Learn more about NFPA 30.
Sustainability
The Steel Drum Life Cycle
Steel’s attributes, including its inherent durability and recyclability, make it an ideal fit for a sustainable circular economy. It is the most recycled material in the world. Once produced, steel can be continually recycled into new steel products. And, while many other products can only be downcycled into a lower-quality product, steel can be recycled over and over again and remade without any loss of quality.
Recycling/Reuse
Steel recycling is important to the circular economy as it conserves valuable resources and diverts useful materials from going to landfills. Millions of tons of steel are diverted from waste streams to recycling streams every year due to steel’s magnetic properties that make it easy to separate from solid waste. Domestic steel mills recycle their own steel scrap, as well as scrap from downstream product manufacturing processes and end-of-life products, to conserve energy emissions and natural resources. There are typically 60 to 80 million tons of steel scrap recycled per year into new steel products in North America.
