Question from Stacey
Hi Debra,
I found some “rustproof galvanized steel” containers to use as storage/recycle bins. Do you think these are safe to use as storage containers (toys, clothes, or even dog food)?
Thank you!
Debra’s Answer
Galvanizing is the process of coating iron or steel with a thin layer of zinc to prevent the metal from rusting. There are two methods: “hot-dipped”, which consists of passing the continuous length of metal through a molten bath, followed by an air stream “wipe” that controls the thickness of the zinc finish; and “electro-galvanizing”, which fuses the zinc to the metal electrolytically.
I don’t see anything toxic about this. When I had a cat, I dumped the big bag of cat food into a small galvanized garbage can with a handle and a lid. It was perfect to keep it fresh.
