Disposal of Bad Gasoline

[ekpolk]

I've got about four gallons of bad (very bad) gasoline quarantined in a separate can in my shed, and it's only getting uglier. I try to be a good citizen environmentally, and thus, I really don't want to dump it on the ground, openly burn it, or dump it down a drain (though that could create some seriously dramatic "entertainment"...). Anyone know where one should take bad gas for disposal? I'm guessing that Autozone doesn't want it in their used oil tank.

 

[tom slick]

My local "dump" has a hazmat collection facility. look under waste disposal in the phone book. they probably take it for free.

 

[brianl703]

What's "bad"? A friend of mine used 5-year-old gas (which had two-stroke oil added) in his lawnmower. It ran fine.

 

[wcbcruzer]

There's got to be a local hazardous waste collection center. Otherwise, why not just let it evaporate?

 

[Chris142]

Use it to start fires in your fireplace? If it's not full of water or dirt put 1/2 gallon of it in your full fuel tank every week.

 

[bretfraz]

What about a repair shop or auto parts store that recycles old motor oil? Speak with a manager or owner and see if they'll let you dump it in their recycling tank.

 

[ekpolk]

Originally Posted By: brianl703
What's "bad"? A friend of mine used 5-year-old gas (which had two-stroke oil added) in his lawnmower. It ran fine.


Bad in this instance means severely discolored, as in now it's a dark brown color, and slightly cloudy when viewed in a clear glass container. Yecch. Yes, it's a waste, but we're talking about less than $15 worth of fuel. To me, that's not worth trying in even the lowliest piece of yard equipment. I'm just not going to chance a big-bux problem in one of the cars' fuel systems by disposing of it that way. Thirty years ago, I'd have been happy to use it in a tennis ball cannon...

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: tom slick
My local "dump" has a hazmat collection facility. look under waste disposal in the phone book. they probably take it for free.


Same here in NorCal and ours is free.

Gene, if you don't find a reasonable way to get rid of it, filter it through a chamois skin like they did in the olden days to get out water and other contaminants and burn it in your car a bit at a time.


Edit: I wrote that before I saw your last post describing the elixor. Sounds like you need a hazardous waste disposal site if you don't want to ship it to Pablo to heat his garage.

 

[The Critic]

I still like the idea of burning it by feeding it to your BBQ slowly.

Otherwise, I guess you'll have to find your local county dump and see if they can take care of your needs.

 

[Camu Mahubah]

Cain't ya use it in a lantern? A coleman perhaps?

 

[BrianWC]

Ants? Otherwise I agree on hazmat. I'll get rid of your $15 of gas if you'll come take my 50-60 gallons of used oil to Advance.

Ah, I think I found a nice Columbus Day project.....

 

[Kestas]

Ditto to XS650. Burn a bit each time in your tank. It is fuel.

 

[benjamming]

Why not openly burn it? We are talking about a very minor amount. The atmosphere will never know the difference. You may very well pollute more by taking it to the recycling center.

 

[demarpaint]

Hazmat collection is the fastest and best way to get rid of it. Or mix a little of it in at a time with your waste oil from oil changes. It will take some time to get rid of it that way, but its been around for years anyway. I did that with 2+ gallons I had sitting in a gas tank for an outboard engine. Took me two oil changes on my 3 car fleet to get rid of all of it.



Frank D

 

[JHZR2]

I like the filtration idea, if it is practical. Otherwise, do you have a stump that you need to get rid of? Drilling holes in it, putting some gasoline or diesel in there then piling smouldering logs (or even charcoal may work) would use it up, completely, without polluting and with the same environmental impact that it likely will make from the hazmat folks (incinerator).

JMH

 

[Kestas]

A long time ago an oil collection facility was very vigilant about keeping solvents out of the waste oil. They told me that they way the used oil was processed, any solvents would make the processing dangerous.

 

[demarpaint]

Mixing in a small amount with the waste oil and bringing it in for collection at a parts store wouldn't hurt a thing. If a car had a leaking injector, or a bad carb and was dumping gas into the oil it would end up in the exact same place. I've seen guys mix paint thinner into waste oil and bring it in for collection, not exactly a good idea but it happens too.

Thank God we care about doing the right thing. I've seen people who live in the Garden Apartments pull their cars up on the curb, over a curbside storm drain and pull the oil plug and dump the oil into the sewer system. Amazing what people will do! At least we care!!!!!!!!!!

JMO
Frank D

Edit to add: God is no longer censored!

 

[Cutehumor]

ekpolk,

I thought you rotate gas can usage so it wouldn't go bad?

 

[brianl703]

Originally Posted By: ekpolk

Bad in this instance means severely discolored, as in now it's a dark brown color, and slightly cloudy when viewed in a clear glass container.


No worse than the 5-year-old gas. What he didn't use in the lawnmower he used in his boat ('79 Johnson two-stroke 85HP) with a 50/50 mix of new gas.

 

[ekpolk]

Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
ekpolk,

I thought you rotate gas can usage so it wouldn't go bad?


I do. This was the gas that had been sitting in my generator's five gallon tank since 2004. We had been in the midst of a very long power outage, hearing that no relief was in sight, I refilled the tank full, and about two hours later, bang, Gulf Power restores our service. I had been occasionally spiking this gas with some extra Sta-Bil, and running the generator, just to keep the parts "exercised," but even with those 2-3 times a year runs, there was still about four gallons left when I pulled a sample several months ago, and was shocked to see fuel emerge that looked more like apple cider than gasoline. This is when I removed the tank, sequestered the fuel, and ran a small purge of brand new gas through the generator's engine to flush things out. The ugly gas has been sitting in a separate gas can since, and the generator is now dry and free of fuel. Future test/exercise runs will be made by adding a cup or so of gas and running it until it sucks the tank empty.

The eldest can in my "rotating" stock is only two months old, is spiked with FP3K and Sta-Bil, and looks as bright and clear as the day it came out of the pump.