Industry Standards & Compliance

This prefix confirms the container has been tested and certified under the UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods. Without this prefix, the container is not UN-certified and cannot be used for regulated material transport.

The number 31 identifies this as an IBC (Intermediate Bulk Container). Other categories include 1 (drums), 3 (jerricans), 4 (boxes), and 6 (composite packagings). The 31 designation specifically means a rigid IBC with a capacity exceeding 450 liters.

The letter H designates a composite IBC — one made from two different materials. In this case, a plastic (HDPE) inner receptacle with a rigid outer packaging (steel cage). Other letters include A (steel), B (aluminum), C (natural wood), and N (metal other than steel/aluminum).

A1 indicates a rigid outer packaging (the steel cage) with structural equipment (the integrated pallet base). This is the most common composite IBC configuration. A2 would indicate a rigid outer without structural equipment, while B would indicate a flexible outer.

The packing group letter indicates which classes of dangerous goods the IBC is approved to carry. X = approved for Packing Groups I (high danger), II (medium), and III (low) — the most stringent rating. Y = approved for Groups II and III. Z = approved for Group III only. Most commercial IBCs carry a Y rating.

This number indicates the maximum total weight of the IBC including its contents and the container itself, expressed in kilograms. 2200 kg equals approximately 4,850 lbs. For a 275-gallon IBC with a tare weight of approximately 55 kg, this allows roughly 2,145 kg (4,730 lbs) of contents.

The month and year the IBC was manufactured. In this example, March 2024. The HDPE inner bottle has a UN-rated service life of 5 years from this date — meaning this container's UN certification expires in March 2029. After expiration, the bottle must be replaced or the IBC retired from regulated transport.

The country where the IBC design type was tested and approved. USA indicates the container was certified by a DOT-authorized testing laboratory in the United States. Other common certifying countries include D (Germany), GB (United Kingdom), F (France), and CDN (Canada).

A unique code identifying the manufacturer and specific production facility. This code is traceable to the company's registration with the certifying authority. In the event of a quality issue or recall, this code allows regulators to trace the container back to its origin.

21 CFR 177.1520 — Olefin Polymers

The HDPE resin used in the IBC bottle must be listed as a permitted food-contact substance. The manufacturer must certify that the specific resin formulation meets FDA extractive limits and composition standards.

21 CFR 174.5 — General Requirements

Food-contact surfaces must be manufactured under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) conditions. The container must be free from contaminants that could migrate into food at levels that pose a health risk.

Chain of Custody Documentation

For used or reconditioned IBCs, the seller must provide documentation showing the container has only ever held FDA-approved food-grade materials. This paper trail is non-negotiable — without it, the IBC cannot legally be used for food contact, regardless of its physical condition.

Cleaning Validation

IBCs that are reused for food-grade applications must be cleaned using FDA-approved cleaning agents and processes. Cleaning records must be maintained and available for audit. At IBC San Francisco, our food-grade cleaning protocol is documented and follows FDA-recognized procedures.

Defines requirements for the HDPE resin, wall thickness, structural design, and testing of rotationally molded polyethylene tanks — the manufacturing process used for IBC inner bottles. Specifies minimum physical properties including density, melt index, tensile strength, and environmental stress crack resistance.

Establishes the testing methodology for evaluating UV resistance of HDPE materials. IBC manufacturers use this standard to validate the UV stabilizer packages in their HDPE resin formulations and to determine the expected outdoor service life of the bottle material.

The critical test for HDPE IBC bottles. Environmental stress cracking is the most common failure mode for polyethylene containers — this standard defines how manufacturers test for resistance to stress cracking under chemical exposure, and sets the minimum performance requirements for IBC-grade HDPE.

Relevant to IBC transport, this standard addresses vibration testing requirements that ensure IBCs maintain structural integrity during road transport. UN certification testing includes vibration assessment based on ISO protocols to verify that the container and its contents can withstand the vibration frequencies and amplitudes encountered during highway transport.

Provides guidelines for the design, construction, and testing of packaging used to transport dangerous goods — including IBCs. This ISO standard harmonizes with UN recommendations and provides additional guidance on quality assurance during manufacturing, pre-shipment inspection protocols, and in-service monitoring requirements.

Relevant to IBCs with UV-stabilized (black) bottles. This standard specifies the testing method for verifying carbon black content in HDPE — carbon black is the primary UV stabilizer added to polyethylene to extend outdoor service life. Properly formulated UV-stabilized HDPE contains 2-3% carbon black by weight.