Continuing our educational series on Intermediate Bulk Containers…
Inner Bottles: UV Protection for HDPE
When it comes to IBCs, the inner bottle is where your product lives – so it needs proper protection. Here’s what you should know about UV stabilisation.
All inner bottles use UV stabilised high molecular, translucent HDPE material. What does this actually mean for you? Two key things:
- Molecular degradation of the PE material is prevented – The plastic itself won’t break down under normal sunlight exposure
- Excellent UV protection for the inner bottle under standard climatic conditions – The container structure stays strong
But here’s something important to understand (and we see this confusion a lot): The UV stabilised HDPE protects the bottle itself – not necessarily what’s inside it. Think of it like wearing a UV-resistant jacket. The jacket won’t get damaged by the sun, but your skin underneath might still need suncream.
Light Protection for Your Filling Product
UV and visible light can pass through the standard natural-coloured HDPE. If your product is light-sensitive – and many chemicals, oils, and food products are – you’ve got options.
We can colour the inner bottles to add protection:
White inner bottles: Block UV radiation
This works well for products that degrade under UV but aren’t affected by visible light.
Black inner bottles: Block both UV radiation and visible light
Your go-to choice when complete light protection matters.
A word of caution though – depending on how and where you’re storing or transporting particularly sensitive products, you might need additional light protection measures. Every product is different, and storage conditions vary massively.
Not sure what level of protection your product needs? Our Industrial Packaging Technical Account Managers team knows this stuff inside out. Drop them an email at sales@industrialpackaging.ie and they’ll help you figure out the right solution.
Screw Caps: What Do the Colours Mean?
Ever wondered why IBC caps come in different colours? It’s not just aesthetics – each colour tells you something specific about the container’s certification and intended use.
The Four Standard Colours
Black: Non-UN
These are for products that don’t require UN certification for transport. Standard industrial use where dangerous goods regulations don’t apply.
Red: UN IBC
UN certified for transporting dangerous goods. If you’re moving hazardous materials, you’ll see red caps – they meet the strict UN performance standards for dangerous goods packaging.
Green: FOODCERT
Food-grade certified containers. These meet the requirements for storing and transporting food products, with all the hygiene and safety standards that come with that.
Gray: CLEANCERT
The highest cleaning standard Schutz offer. These have been through our intensive cleaning process and are certified accordingly. Perfect for when contamination absolutely cannot be an issue.
A Quick Note on Venting
The G2″ plug with vent allows for aeration and de-aeration – basically, it lets air in and out during filling and emptying. You can get this with a plastic seal cap across all colour variants, which is handy for maintaining product integrity during transport.
Variations Exist
Worth mentioning: specific customer configurations might look slightly different from what’s shown here. If you’ve got particular requirements, there’s usually a way to accommodate them. IBCs are more customisable than people often realise.
Looking for Part 1? Check out our previous article on IBC basics and construction.
Got questions about which inner bottle colour or screw cap type suits your needs? Contact our expert team for the very best advice.