Re: [Amc-list] Disposing of gas, oil, brake fluid and coolant

[Archimedes <Freedom@xxxxxxxx>]

>Yep, you really can't put anything down the toilet
>except number 1 or number 2 here in CA.   Don't
>believe what your local officials told you.  The
>sewage treatment plant really only dilutes the
>antifreeze.  Yes, in small concentrations I'm pretty
>sure the bugs (bacteria) can deal metabolize it, but
>it's still not a good idea.


Actually, normal antifreeze *is* treatable by almost all municipal waste systems; and it's also biodegradeable.

http://www.purdue.edu/envirosoft/housewaste/house/antifrze.htm

http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/hm/hhw/howto/antifreeze.htm

Ethylene glycol (and the new-tech, safer alternative propylene gycol) is produced from natural gas.  If dumped on the ground and thus returned to the environment, it does create a toxic "plume" wherever it lands; but once again it is biodegradeable -- within six to eight months, nature will have reclaimed its components.

That said, most municipal landfills now have tanks to dump antifreeze in for recycling.  Here in Henrico County VA, we've had a recycling tank for antifreeze and a bunch of other chemicals since the early nineties; and since I'm an avid recycler of just about everything you can imagine (I have a line of cans in my yard to prove it), I've used it frequentky since then.  The only drawback to taking it to the dump is that you pollute the environment much more just by driving over there -- so make sure you take a full load of other stuff too, to make it an efficient trip.

Keep in mind that the EPA can fine you $25,000 for dumping it into storm drains or bodies of water.  I think that's a ridiculous punishment, even though I am a recycler and since I became aware of environmental issues in my twenties, have religiously avoided dumping anything harmful anywhere.

Besides, every time there's a somewhat serious wreck, by definition the antifreeze from the crashed cars leaks out onto the ground, and then into storm drains.  Why not fine anyone who gets into a wreck $25,000 then?


>  Antifreeze (at least from
>the big sources like radiator shops etc.) is recycled
>here in CA.  You can get away with putting a little
>antifreeze and gasoline too in the used motor oil when
>you take it to be recycled, 


Please don't do that.  Antifreeze in oil -- even a little bit -- ruins the entire batch of oil.

Gasoline is less problematic in oil recycling, but you still should keep them separate.


>but any real strange odor
>(or color) can cause it to be rejected at the
>collection center.  It's up the person monitoring the
>collection.  At my local Kragen's they often let me
>dump my own oil into the collection tank, so I can get
>away with some contamination.
>
>I also use stale gas for cleaning really greasy parts
>and I try to sneak as much of it as possible into the
>motor oil which gets recycled.  I don't claim to be
>perfect though.  I have used stale gas in my lawn
>mower but I stopped doing that after having to rebuild
>the lawn mower carburetor.   The parts for that
>rebuild were not cheap.


If you dilute the old gas about 1:7 or so, it should do just fine.  Gasoline is a great solvent, including for its own glued-up self.  

Keep in mind that a lot of environmental concerns are simply way overblown.  I acknowledge that, even though -- as I said -- I am an avid recycler and environmentalist myself.  I'm big into using products until they're just beyond worn out (like my 1990 Escort with 200k on the clock, not to mention my Rambler affliction).  I even use biodiesel in my truck, and am looking towards getting a photovoltaic system set up to generate electricity at my home.

-- Marc




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