Burying of steel drums that presently or formerly contained hazardous materials often represents a wasted resource. Such drums can be reconditioned using burning or washing processes to remove and accumulate hazardous material residues so that the steel drum can be returned safely to useful service. Moreover, when a drum's useful life is spent, drum cleaning permits safe ultimate disposal. Reconditioning processes either destroy the hazardous residues or concentrate them in a form more amenable to further treatment. Benefits of reconditioning steel drums are considerable. New drums cost nearly $20, and reconditioned ones are about $12. Thus, at waste disposal sites where there are thousands of drums, the potential reclamation value could be significant. Moreover, reclamation would help to alleviate a nationwide shortage of reconditionable 18-gage drums.