A method for managing an atmosphere in a storage container in a processing apparatus including a substrate transfer region and a container transfer region which are partitioned by a partition wall; a load port; a container keeping rack; and a cover opening/closing mechanism, includes substituting the internal atmosphere of the storage container that stores non-processed substrates with the inert gas for using the cover opening/closing mechanism; transferring the storage container of which the internal atmosphere has been substituted with the inert gas, to the container keeping rack and placing and keeping the storage container on the container keeping rack; and putting the storage container on standby on the container keeping rack while maintaining the atmosphere substituted with the inert gas.
