This document provides a historic overview of steel drum thicknesses and the evolution of the steel drum industry. It discusses the development of steel drums from glass and wooden barrels, the UN recommendations for transporting dangerous goods which do not specify a minimum thickness, and how thicknesses have decreased over time in various regions. For example, thicknesses in Europe have decreased from 1.3mm to 1.0mm on average. The document also examines reuse rates which have declined slightly in recent years in the US, Europe, and Japan. Overall, it traces the history and regulations of steel drums while analyzing changes in thicknesses, weights, and reuse.

1. 1
A Historic Overview of
Steel Drum
Thicknesses
Eddy Schuer
Greif EarthMinded
Transport & Regulations
Manager

2. 2
Introduction
 Industrial packaging history
 Legal frame work; UN recommendation
transport of dangerous goods
 Available Information per region
 Evolution MEPs/Reuse
 Future for steel packaging?

3. Packaging?
3

4. Industrial packaging history
 Glass packaging and Wooden barrels
4

5. Fifty-Five Gallons;
5
 NABADA book
 Pamela Terry

6. How drums were made
6

7. Heavy duty or normal drums
7

8. Steel drum 55 US gallon
 Unique manufacturing process;
 Nelly Bly 1901
 Work horse for industry
 World standard; ISO 15750
 UN recommendation transport of
dangerous goods
8

9. UN recommendation transport
of dangerous goods (1).
 Art 6.1. requirements for the
construction and testing of packaging
 6.1.4.1.1: body and head shall be
constructed of suitable steel and of
adequate thickness….
 No minimum thickness
 Packaging fit for purpose
9

10. UN recommendation transport
of dangerous goods (2).
 Art 6.5.5.1.6; steel IBCs min 1,5 mm
 Art 6.7.2.4.2; portable tanks min 5 mm
10

11. ISO 15750
Steel dimension between 0,6 an 1,6 mm
11

12. Information available per
region
 Weight evolution
 Thickness evolution
 Share per grade (if available)
12

13. Weight evolution (1)
13

14. Weight evolution (2)
 Japan; from 23,60 to 23,00 kg; 2,5%
 Europe; from 18,30 kg to 16,60 kg; 8
%
 US?
14

15. Thickness evolution (1)
15

16. Thickness evolution (2)
 Japan from 1,45 mm to 1,42 mm.
 Europe from 1,3 mm to 1,00 mm.
 calculated thickness average
 Europe, use of 0.8 mm drums and even
0.7 mm drums
 Weight/Thickness evolution %
16

17. Share per grade Japan (1)
17

18. Share per grade Japan (2)
18
Grade mm difference %
H 1.6 -0.5
M 1.2 -18.9
LM 1.2/1.0/1.2 18.4
L 1 0.3
SL 1.0/0.9/1.0 0.6
FL 1.0/0.8/1.0 0.1

19. Actual grade information
19

20. Waste hierarchy
 Priority order: Prevention, preparing for
reuse, recycling, energy recovery,
disposal.
waste treatment can only be carried out
by licensed companies.
20

21. Reuse ratio’s
21

22. Reuse ratio’s
 US; down with 7 % (from 55 to 48%).
 Europe; down with 3.5 % (from 29.5 to
26%).
 Japan; down with approx. 3 % (47 to
44%)
22

23. New versus reuse
23

24. Evolution MEP’s/Reuse (1)
24

25. Evolution MEP’s/Reuse (2)
25

26. Future for steel packaging
 Music tools
 Metal IBCs?
26

27. End of my presentation
 Are there any questions?
 Contact information
Eddy.Schuer@greif.com
+32475693829
27