Last contents and counts: the load sheet
The load sheet is the short list of facts we need to give you a straight answer: how many totes, what size, what they held, what condition they are in, and where they are. Fill it in once and the rest of the conversation is quick.
The eight lines
- Count of totes, by size: how many 275 gallon, how many 330 gallon.
- Type of each: caged composite, all-plastic, stainless or bag-in-box.
- Last contents of each group, from the label or the safety data sheet.
- Condition: intact, dirty with a heel, cracked or bent.
- Whether the bottles were rinsed, and by whom.
- The date on the plate, if you can read it.
- Where they are: city, ZIP code and how they are stored.
- An email address we can reply to.
Eight lines is the whole of it. We do not need a spreadsheet; a plain email is fine. The form on this page takes the same facts, and the rest of the conversation happens by reply.
Why last contents comes first
The last contents are the single most useful fact on a tote. They tell us whether the bottle can go on to a nursery, whether it can be rinsed for a rain barrel, whether a washer is needed or whether the tote has to go through a waste channel. A safety data sheet names the product, the hazards and the disposal advice, and a photo of the label is a good second best.
Photograph the label. If that is gone, say so. We would rather grade a tote as unknown than guess.
Photographs that help
- One of the whole tote, standing, from the side with the plate.
- One of the plate, close enough to read.
- One of the cap and valve.
- One looking down into the bottle through the cap.
- One of any damage, with something for scale.
You do not need to photograph every tote in a group of identical ones. One good set per group is enough, and a note that says the rest match.
Counts, sizes and weights
An empty 275 gallon caged tote weighs roughly 130 to 150 pounds, and a 330 gallon a little more. A group of twenty on a pallet jack is a different afternoon from a group of twenty on a forklift, so say which equipment you have. Mention any dock height, stairs or gate that might get in the way.
A sample line
A good line reads like this: twenty-four 275 gallon caged totes, last held a citrus flavor concentrate, intact, valves closed, plates dated within three years, stored under a roof, forklift on site. That one sentence tells us the count, the size, the contents, the condition, the plate, the place and the equipment. Sending nine of those, one per group, is a complete load sheet.
Questions people ask
Can I send a photo of a handwritten sheet?
Yes, as long as it is legible.
Do you keep my sheet private?
We use it to answer your request and nothing else.
Is there a form to download?
No. The request form on the page takes the same facts.
Can I send the sheet after I ask?
Yes. Reply to our email with the list.
What if I only know some of the lines?
Send what you have and say what you do not know.
Do you need the plate numbers?
The date and design code are enough; a photo is better.
How soon will I hear back?
We reply by email, and we do not promise a time.
Send your load sheet
Paste the eight lines into the form or reply to our email.