Totes by trade in South Florida
Six trades account for most of the totes that move through South Florida: nurseries, cane and vegetable farms, importers and forwarders, cleaning and chemical blenders, food and beverage plants, and the construction and cement trades. Each has a different tote, a different grade and a different way of getting rid of empties.
Last reviewed November 11, 2026
Benches, mist houses and fertigation stock tanks, mostly in the Redland.
Sugar country around Belle Glade and the vegetable fields of Homestead and Palm Beach County.
The warehouse belt near the airport and the ports, where liquids arrive and totes are left.
Blenders and packagers who fill and refill totes weekly.
Ingredient, syrup and oil users who need documented clean histories.
Admixtures, curing compounds and job-site water.
Why sort by trade
A tote is a tool, and each trade uses it differently. A nursery needs water and fertilizer solutions on a bench. A blender needs to fill and ship regulated products on a schedule. An importer needs to clear a dock. A food plant needs a bottle with a history it can document. Knowing the trade lets us suggest a grade before we know anything else.
The trades also differ in how they sell. Some have a steady stream of empties. Some have a pile once a year. Some never have any, because they buy rebottled stock and send it back to the supplier.
A short map of the trades
| Trade | Usual tote | Usual grade | Biggest concern |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nurseries | 275 gallon caged | Reconditioned | Herbicide residue |
| Farms | 330 gallon caged | Triple-rinsed | Chemical history |
| Importers | Mixed | As-is, then sorted | Floor space |
| Blenders | Caged, stainless | Rebottled, new | Retest dates |
| Food and beverage | Caged, bag-in-box | New, rebottled | Documented food history |
| Construction | 275 gallon caged | Rinsed | Cement residue |
Questions people ask
What if my trade is not listed?
Ask. The six pages cover most of our requests, not all.
Which trade sends the most empties?
Importers and blenders.
Which trade buys the most?
Nurseries and farms.
Can I be both?
Many are: a nursery that also blends its own feed.
How do I start?
Use the request form.
Next stops
- Tote grades, from new to damagedThe eight grades.
- Sell your empty totesSelling empties.
- Totes for nurseries, farms and growersGrowers.
The eight grades
Tell us your trade
Say what you do and what you need.