I live out in the boonies and there’s no real recycling program available. How do you dispose of your old coolant where you live? Do auto parts stores accept it like they do for used oil?
How do you dispose of used coolant?
- Thread starter Elkins45
- Start date
In my area advance auto takes it. They also take trans fluid and motor oil.
If you're on sewer, many localities say to pour it down the drain.
Yes, down the sanitary sewer. I offered that advice here once, and one of our left-coast members freaked out on me.
dnewton3
Staff member
We have a county "tox away day" twice a year; they take pretty much anything but explosives or dead bodies. Tires, all manner of old paint and chemicals, TVs, old meds, etc; they take it all.
Just about every county has an environmental management agency; check with them.
Just about every county has an environmental management agency; check with them.
I'm in a semi rural area and I take mine to a once-a-year county hazardous waste collection. Also, all my drain motor oil. I believe they take non latex paint, etc. as well. None of the garages, dealers or parts stores here will take coolant. One told me it costs them too much to get rid of. A couple of pro waste places do, for a charge.
Our county has one or two days a month where they will take "household quantities" of things like coolant(and oil). I generally will take it there along with any oil and filters I happen to have. The same place will take paint, and I cleaned out a couple of gallons that had gone bad in the garage over the winter on my last trip there.
Around here, oil is easy since every parts store takes it. They're supposed to take filters also, but at least at the typical Autozone employee around here is hit or miss as to whether or not they're aware of this(or that you're even supposed to recycle used filters). None of the parts stores take coolant, though.
Pouring it down the drain honestly probably isn't a terrible answer, especially as the bacteria most treatment plants use to break down waste see gycols as a tasty snack and will gladly break them down. With that said, I'm pretty sure the state here says it's not okay so I try to be good and take it to the proper facility.
Around here, oil is easy since every parts store takes it. They're supposed to take filters also, but at least at the typical Autozone employee around here is hit or miss as to whether or not they're aware of this(or that you're even supposed to recycle used filters). None of the parts stores take coolant, though.
Pouring it down the drain honestly probably isn't a terrible answer, especially as the bacteria most treatment plants use to break down waste see gycols as a tasty snack and will gladly break them down. With that said, I'm pretty sure the state here says it's not okay so I try to be good and take it to the proper facility.
We have a septic lagoon so the drain probably isn’t an option for me.
Until you dispose of it, do not leave it around where pets and critters could come and drink some of it. ITS POISONOUS!!!
And it has a sweet taste, so animals could want to try to drink some.
And it has a sweet taste, so animals could want to try to drink some.
I take it to our local recycling center.
We have a collection tank at the local waste center. However, it’s possible they are taking it to the municipal water treatment plant just a few miles away. Basically the rural folks need a place to get the fluid into the municipal treatment facility and this is it, short of pouring it into the toilet at the truck stop. 
Coolant made in the last decade + has a bitterant added. Nothing is going to drink it these days. Granted, there is probably some older, non-bittered stuff around, but the chances are good that it is of the new variety.
Don't believe me, get some in your mouth one time.........
Mistake I'll never make again.
Antifreeze Manufacturers Write a Bitter End to a Not-So-Sweet Story - Vetstreet
Dr. Nancy Kay tempers the good news that antifreeze manufacturers have voluntarily added a bittering agent to the highly toxic substance with a reminder that pet owners still need to be vigilant.
www.vetstreet.com
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2022
- Messages
- 5,572
Humans won't drink it. Animals will because their taste buds are much different than humans - ie animals will also eat rancid meat. It doesn't take much ethylene glycol to kill an animal.Coolant made in the last decade + has a bitterant added. Nothing is going to drink it these days. Granted, there is probably some older, non-bittered stuff around, but the chances are good that it is of the new variety.
Don't believe me, get some in your mouth one time.........
Mistake I'll never make again.
Antifreeze Manufacturers Write a Bitter End to a Not-So-Sweet Story - Vetstreet
Dr. Nancy Kay tempers the good news that antifreeze manufacturers have voluntarily added a bittering agent to the highly toxic substance with a reminder that pet owners still need to be vigilant.
It gets flushed here too.
Our County recycle takes everything but coolant. Same with our auto parts stores so I'm not at liberty to say where mine goes.
My little town has a maintenance garage for its vehicles and the recycling tubs were the easiest thing ever.
Then one day a jerk poured paint into the oil recycling (they said) and it all ended.
Actually, the tubs were up a ramp...a very slippery ramp and I always thought it would end on advice from council (or just common sense) or someone's slip and fall case.
'Twas good while it lasted.
Then one day a jerk poured paint into the oil recycling (they said) and it all ended.
Actually, the tubs were up a ramp...a very slippery ramp and I always thought it would end on advice from council (or just common sense) or someone's slip and fall case.
'Twas good while it lasted.
The city has a recycling plant I take mine to.
In NYC you can flush coolant down the toilet but you can't dump it in the Storm Sewer.