The Problem with Palletizing: Why Steel Drums Are Not the Ideal Lab Pack Solution

The traditional 55 gal. steel drum has long been the containment and transportation solution of choice for companies that produce medical waste, referred to as lab packs. 55 gal. steel drums provide the strength and durability necessary for containing hazardous waste solids, but the weight and cumbersome nature of steel drums makes them difficult to palletize. 

The inability to efficiently palletize 55 gal. steel drums for lab pack use provide a number of challenges for medical facilities, laboratories, and universities, not to mention the waste haulers themselves. Here, we’ll look at why steel drums are not the ideal lab pack solution, and how moving to a more flexible hazmat waste hauling solution can change the lab pack game. 

Using 55-gallon steel drums for lab packs means high freight costs

A recent survey found that reducing freight costs is one of the top concerns for CFO’s in 2024, in large part due high fuel and fleet maintenance costs. Using 55 gal. steel drums as lab packs exacerbates this challenge simply because of size and weight.

For example, a standard 53-foot truck has a maximum capacity of just 208 units, which, depending on the quantity of waste, can mean facilitating a large number of full truckloads (FTLs). This presents a significant hurdle for medical facilities and laboratories that are looking to trim transportation costs by reducing the number of FTLs necessary to transport hazmat waste from Point A to Point B. 

With an average unfilled weight of 40 to 60 lbs, traditional 55 gal. steel drums are virtually impossible to move without a forklift, and their bulky design means waste haulers can only fit four units per pallet. 

Gorilla Drum’s™ flexible, foldable frame can help labs and medical facilities fit more units on a standard truck to reduce your number of FTLs. With Gorilla Drum™, you can fit 80 unfilled units per pallet for a total of 4,160 per standard semi. This represents a 20x increase compared to traditional steel drums, and this increased capacity also means a more cost-effective way of transporting hazardous medical waste.

What’s more, this more flexible approach can help medical facilities cut their carbon footprint by reducing the number of 53-foot trucks on the road. This increased level of sustainability better aligns medical facilities and laboratories with the importance today’s consumers place on more eco-friendly business practices.   

55 gal. steel drums as lab packs complicates the loading and unloading process

The first complication in the loading and unloading of steel drums for lab pack use is the time, equipment, and personnel required to facilitate these processes. A forklift or some other form of heavy machinery is necessary to execute loading and unloading, and the weight of filled — or even unfilled — drums poses risk to workers, and increases the potential for workplace accidents. 

Plus, accidents in the form of drops, spills, or breaches can also pose significant environmental concerns via the exposure of hazardous materials.

With a more ergonomic steel drum alternative, waste haulers can increase the safety of the loading and unloading process, and they can also maximize productivity and ROI by eliminating the need for costly machinery and equipment. 

Gorilla Drum™ cuts this monkey business by using innovative, durable lifting loops, a dolly band, and a belly band that are compatible with a standard forklift and two-wheel dolly. Plus, these mobility features reduce the number of warehouse personnel required to transport filled units throughout a given facility.

In addition, a zipper-top lid provides a tight seal and superior protection for the hazardous materials inside the unit to reduce the likelihood of workplace accidents or spillage in the event the unit is dropped. 

Our 55 gal. steel drum alternative is DOT and UN certified, and it’s also rated X for use with Packing Groups I, II, and III to help you safely and efficiently handle the widest range of hazardous materials.

Reusing 55 gal. drums for lab packs is costly and environmentally hazardous

The process of cleaning traditional 55 gal. steel drums for repeat use is costly and time-consuming. The process requires the use of chemical agents that can be expensive and difficult to acquire, and the environmentally damaging nature of these solutions can hamper your sustainability efforts. 

Additionally, this practice is likely to undergo significant changes as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers new regulations with drum reconditioning.

Our steel drum alternative significantly reduces the amount of cleaning and sterilization required by using a plastic inner lining that can be installed in mere minutes to help protect the interior of the unit — this also helps extend the service of each Gorilla Drum™ unit to optimize your equipment costs and reduces the amount of lead time required to fill lab packs.

Each Gorilla Drum™ unit can be unfolded and expanded in just six simple steps without the need for specialized tooling and equipment. The plastic liner can be secured using a reusable zip tie, and our innovative zip-top lid provides secure, reliable containment. Our handling instructions detail how quick and easy it is to unfold and prep your Gorilla Drum™ unit for use.

With our revolutionary 55 gal. steel drum alternative for lab packs, companies unlock new levels of efficiency, productivity, and sustainability. But this is just the beginning of the noise you can make by choosing Gorilla Drum™ as your steel drum alternative. Download our new case study to read the full story.