IBC totes for construction and cement
South Florida's concrete plants and builders buy admixtures, curing compounds and release agents in totes and need water at job sites. Medley alone hosts the Titan America Pennsuco cement plant and a Rinker plant, so the trade is large.
Last reviewed November 11, 2026
What the trade uses
Concrete is mostly cement, sand, stone and water, with small amounts of chemical admixtures that control setting time, workability and strength. Those admixtures come in totes. Curing compounds, form-release oils and truck-wash solutions are in the same format.
On the job, builders need water for mixing, dust control and washing tools, and a tote on a trailer is a convenient source.
Cement residue
Cement hardens in the bottle. A tote that held an admixture can usually be rinsed clean, but a tote that held wet cement or grout cannot. Residue is alkaline and abrasive, and it ruins a valve. Rinse immediately after use, and never let the product dry in the bottle.
Wet cement and admixtures can burn skin. Follow the SDS.
Job-site water
A rinsed tote is fine for dust control and wash-down. Do not use it for drinking water. Strap it on a trailer, place it on firm ground and screen the cap to keep out debris.
Empties from the trade
Contractors and plants in Medley, Hialeah and Pompano Beach release empties regularly. Rinsed admixture totes are in demand by growers and landscapers. Those with residue go to recyclers.
Rinse routines on a job
After each pour, flush the admixture tote lines with clean water, pump the rinse into a settling pit and let solids drop out. Keep a hose and a bucket at the tote. If a tote sits more than a day after use, fill it a quarter full with water and close the cap, which prevents residue from curing. Check the valve for scaling; cement dust in a valve seat will cut a rubber gasket. At the end of a job, tag totes as rinsed or not, so the yard crew does not guess. Contractors who do this find their empties sell the same week; those who do not find a stack that has to go to the recycler.
Safety around alkaline products
Wet cement, grout and many admixtures are alkaline and can burn skin and eyes. Wear gloves, boots and goggles, keep eyewash within reach, and wash splashes immediately with plenty of water. Store totes out of the sun, away from foot traffic, with caps closed. Train new hands before they handle the valve. A moment's carelessness with a hose connection is a bad afternoon.
Questions people ask
Is wet cement hazardous?
It can burn skin; follow the SDS.
Where should eyewash be?
Within a few seconds' reach.
Why rinse the same day?
Cement residue hardens and ruins valves.
Where does the rinse go?
Into a settling pit, per local rules.
Can I use an admixture tote for water?
After a thorough rinse, for non-drinking use.
Do you take cement-contaminated totes?
Usually to the recycler.
Which grade for job-site water?
Rinsed.
Do builders buy many?
A few at a time.
Which areas?
Medley, Hialeah, Pompano Beach and more.
Ask about construction totes
Say the product and the count.