IBC Tanks: A Way Towards Circular Economy

With an increase in the knowledge about the environment, a lot has been changing to curtail the negative impact human and industrial activities and operations have on the environment. Companies now re-strategize to allocate resources appropriately, thus minimizing waste generation. In a way, moving towards a circular economy that preaches zero waste with a closed-loop kind of system has seen increased patronage by companies all over. It is an economic system that aims at the reuse and recycling of wastes, by-products, and end-of-life products. Seeing that the circular economy helps to mitigate the environmental crisis, is the use of IBC tanks a move towards a circular economy? Read on, to know better.

What Is the Circular Economy?

A circular economy ensures the life cycle of products is extended for as long as possible. This is achieved by repairing, reusing, and recycling existing materials and products. Goods and products assumed to have been consumed are made to have further value.

This model goes against the norm that exists in a traditional linear economy, where resources are taken, made into products, consumed, and ultimately results to waste after their utility is deemed to have been exhausted. A circular economy encourages consumers to productively use products repeatedly even after reaching the end of their useful or service life. This way, waste is reduced to the barest minimum.

Why a Circular Economy?

All materials that are consumed in a given area will be given the right and proper methods of waste disposal. More importantly, a circular economy does not believe in having things to waste. To the minimum, it helps to maximize every resource.

This is of great importance for everyone living in a working economy; everything consumed is reusable. This is a good way to make the life cycle of products worthwhile. The goal is to use products in an environmentally friendly way.

In a circular economy, IBC tanks can be recycled and their products reused. With the growth of the need for preserving the environment from pollution, it becomes important to consider the circular economy. Put differently, in a circular economy, every product is in cyclic usage. While some products are used to make other products, some others are being degraded from scratch to make either different products or that same one.

Why IBC Tanks were made?

IBC Tanks are a perfect fit in a circular economy. Although differences exist on the main reason for making these tanks, no one has been able to refute the idea that they have served more reproductive ways of giving a befitting life cycle to products.

In the circular economy, IBC tanks help to allay pollution. Knowing fully that plastics could cause pollution, these tanks help in minimizing the sort of disposable wastes littering the ground. To make it compact, these tanks help in making the plastics more usable and for other things in the economy.

Additionally, IBC tanks help in making packaging more discreet. This means that they help in making the packaging of products easier. They help in using just a few things to make the packaging of products more compact.

More so, IBC tanks help in providing raw materials in production. Keenly, it helps in the supply of raw materials. It does this by creating an avenue for reusing products. Also, it actually helps in making products easier to make.

In the production processes, energy is lost. IBC tanks are used in the conservation of energy. With the usage of these tanks, it is easier to keep raw materials in cyclic patterns. It thus helps in conserving energy in production.

Advantages of IBC Tank in View of Circular Economy

There are several advantages which the use of IBC tanks poses. They include:

• Durability. One of the major advantages of IBC containers is that they are highly durable and can serve for several years. Their rugged design ensures that they can survive harsh and extreme weather conditions. IBC tanks’ supportive cage protects them from vibrations or other forms of vigorous shaking. This durability is a key factor in their recyclability and use after their useful life span has been exhausted.
• Versatility. IBC tanks have a lot of use in the storage and shipment of many different kinds of cargo. The universality of their design ensures that many different kinds of materials, from industrial chemicals to food products, can be stored and transported inside them. They’re particularly great for hazardous materials shipping thanks to their durability. Their versatile nature ensures that they can be subject to use in many different operations. This makes them highly efficient in the circular economy.
• Economical. Materials for shipping often contribute substantial costs for bulk shipping businesses. The use of IBC tanks, therefore, serves as an important saving in the cost of shipping. Due to their expansive nature which imbues them with an enormous capacity that makes them effective for shipping large quantities of goods at once. This allows for efficient shipping strategies. They are particularly good at the transportation of liquids in bulk which will later be portioned into smaller containers for consumers. This economy they produce makes them immense for savings in cost which is another key factor in the circular economy.
• Flexibility. Another major advantage of IBC tanks in view of the circular economy is that they are very flexible. They are easy to handle and maneuver. IBC tanks by design can be easily picked up and moved around using a forklift. Intermediate bulk containers can be moved directly rather than needing to be placed on a pallet. IBC tanks can also be stacked safely and stably one on top of the other. This ensures effective storage and creates economy in their storage. This reduces the cost of warehousing them and storing them is possible in smaller spaces. Since the cost of storage is reduced, this reduces the overall cost and improves their continuous use.
• Reusability. The interior portion of the IBC tank can be washed and reused. All the way previous contents of the tanks can be evacuated leaving them fresh for reuse. These rewashed containers offer great cost savings and increase the sustainability of packing materials. Recycling also ensures the environment does not suffer adversely from their use. They are not single-use and this reduces their waste contribution to the environment. However, if IBC tanks are used for shipping food and beverage items, they should not be reused for food safety and health reasons.

Intermediate Bulk Containers Going Circular

Product waste is something no business wants, and many businesses prefer to use IBC tanks because they can help reduce that waste. Alternative methods of shipping such as shipping drums, may not always make it possible to totally drain the tanks thus leaving some residue of the product trapped inside. The design of the IBC tank makes them easy to clean and this simplifies the process of retrieving every bit of product in the container. This helps businesses stretch their dollars further and contributes to sustainability in the circular economy. This is perhaps the most advantage of an IBC tank in a circular economy.

For more information, please refer to the following pages:

• What is Circular Sustainability and What Role Do IBC Tanks Have?
• The Role of Digitalization in a Circular Economy
• What is the Europe Circular Economy Action Plan?
• The Circular Economy of the Chemical Industry
• How the Digitalization of IBCs Transforms the Chemical Industry and Contributes to a Circular Economy