No one really likes paint can-style secondary hazmat containers, but we’ve been putting up with them (and all their related headaches) for decades. Why? Because there hasn’t been a better alternative.

Now there is. New Capsuloc™ finally gives Dangerous Goods shippers an alternative to the paint can, and lots of shippers are already kicking the can. Capsuloc, now with special permit DOT-SP 21488, and accepted as exemption by UPS and FedEx, has undergone rigorous UN testing, and (with a pressure tested primary container) can be compliantly shipped in its UN 4GV packaging kit by all modes of transportation.

Why are shippers switching? There isn’t just one reason. In fact, manufacturers, shippers and 3PLS have pointed out six ways Capsuloc makes their hazmat transport operations more efficient. Here’s a list of those reasons, with the most popular listed first.

#1: Time saved opening and closing containers

Paint can-style hazmat container lids are similar to the lids of actual paint cans you buy at the hardware store. You need a mallet (or some other heavy object) to pound them closed, and a screwdriver (or some similar tool) to pry them open. Those are both labor-intensive tasks that add time to every shipment you process.

And then you have the ring locks—tight plastic rings that are required to secure the lids in transit. They’re hard to apply and can be nearly impossible to pry loose. You sometimes have to just break them off and throw them away.

Capsuloc containers, on the other hand, have simple twist-on/twist-off lids that form a leak-proof seal in seconds. They can save you a minute or two per shipment—a huge efficiency for any operation that ships heavy volumes of Class 3 or Class 8 hazmat.

#2: Reduced delays and penalties for leaks in transit

The whole point of a secondary containment system is to provide extra leak containment if your primary container fails. Yet paint can containers are notorious for leaking! Sometimes it’s a badly fitting lid, and sometimes it’s an unnoticed puncture, but it’s always a mess.

And not just a mess—an expensive mess. Your shipment gets delayed or discarded. You or your supply chain partner has to clean up the spilled material. And, oh yeah, a hazmat inspector (or your supply chain partner) may want to speak to you about certain penalties.

Capsuloc containers are puncture-proof and leak-proof. They make leaks—and all the costs that go with them—a thing of the past.

#3: Reduced shipping weight

Capsuloc kits weigh 32% less than paint can kits. If your secondary containment kit makes up 20% of a shipment’s total weight, using Capsuloc makes every shipment 6.4% lighter. That’s why switching to Capsuloc can help your operation reduce shipping costs with every shipment.

#4: Money saved from reusing containers

Once a paint can container has been punctured or dented, it can’t be used anymore. And it doesn’t take very much impact to puncture or dent a paint can container.

Capsuloc containers won’t puncture or dent, so you can reuse them multiple times (when you use a new UN fiberboard box kit and follow inspection criteria guidelines). And reusing containers is a lot more efficient than buying new ones all the time.

#5: Space saved with more compact kits

If you handle any kind of volume of hazmat shipments, you have to store shipping kits somewhere in your facility until you need them. Maybe it’s just a few boxes, or maybe it’s whole pallets, but one way or another they’re taking up valuable space.

And that’s one more efficiency Capsuloc offers, because Capsuloc kits are far more compact than paint can kits. In fact, Capsuloc’s compact kit design allows twice as many kits to fit on a pallet, so you can keep the same number of kits at the ready while using only half the space.

#6: Reduced Advil usage

No one’s ever done an empirical study, but paint can-style secondary hazmat containers are associated with high levels of headache suffering among Dangerous Goods professionals. Whether it’s the costly leaks, the difficulty in opening and closing, or the expense of constant replacements, every paint can container is a headache waiting to happen.

Capsuloc secondary hazmat containers remove all those headaches. (They may also reduce the need for bandages for mallet-induced smashed fingers.) They’re easier to use, more reliable, more durable and more economical.

So just think of all the money you’ll save on Advil!

Ready to kick the can?

Is Capsuloc a fit for your operation? Call the experts at Labelmaster to discuss your materials, your workflows and all the details that go into making the best packaging decisions.

You may find that Capsuloc is the most efficient secondary containment system ever.

Make sure your shipments are safe and in complete compliance with a full line of solutions from Labelmaster—a full-service provider of goods and services for hazardous materials and Dangerous Goods professionals, shippers, transport operators and EH&S providers.