Are these metal, plastic, wood? What did he rinse them with, just plain water won't do and saopy water won't either. What originally came in these barrels and how were they cleaned then?

They are plastic, the man said he rinsed them with water, and they had Trimec pesticide in them.

Here is a datasheet on trimec so you can read about it and make your own, informed decision.

Trimec is a herbicide formulation that contains 3 or 4 active ingredients depending on the product. Trimec has 3, Trimec Plus has 4 and the data sheet is for Trimec Plus to be on the safe side.

All of the active ingredients are considered non carcinogenic and not normally toxic (to humans) in low amounts, however the material handling sheet advises rinsing the container well and then disposing of it, not reusing it.

Assuming you are going to use the barrel to store irrigation water and not drinking water or any product intended for human or animal consumption I, personally, would use it if I had it, but I wouldn't drink/eat from it myself. This is just me, and I encourage you to read the data sheet and make up your own mind.

Thanks very much for this info and opinion.

And I tend to ALSO be spooked by the thought of absorbed chemicals leaching from the barrel into the stored water. I cannot imagine an appropriate use for such containers, other than sending it asap to be recycled and reused to store more chemicals.

If the label directs you to dispose of the container, then that is what should be done.

The barrels are in our second garage on the lower level of the yard, and I think we'll find a place to dispose of them. Live and learn!

Username_5, that link didn't work for me. But the barrel says 2-4D, that's enough knowledge for me!

Meanwhile, I'd REALLY like some rain barrels!

Here is a link that works, sorry.

You should be able to find similar barrels from food supply places that don't have any residual chemical concerns.

Me thinks that the guy who sold you these barrels has broken a Federal law. Or more than one. It was up to him to properly rinse and recyle those containers. NOT to sell them to innocent consumers.

I think that you could get your money back if you told the guy that you've done some research and learned that he was not in accordance with Fed. regulations when he sold you the containers. Every community has a pesticide container drop off place. And your weed and feed guy can easily recycle his containers back to his pesticide dealers.

Here is a link that might be useful: 2,4 - D Say it isn't so!!!!!

Yeah, I think we definitely won't be using those barrels! Thanks for the advice, rhizo.