Coolant/Antifreeze Recycling/Disposal?

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earlyre

earlyre

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Lima, Ohio, USA
coming up on the Recommended service interval(105k mi) for the Coolant in My Car, but one question has evaded me, and my internet search abilities...
how do you get rid of the old stuff?

the only place listed for my county(and several others in the area), the local Solid waste district, is by appointment only, and they charge a Disposal fee $1 per pound for all household hazardous waste. ( simple math, water is 8lb/gallon, 4 Gallons of Antifreeze, 8*4 = 32, so $32 to dispose of my used coolant. I think not..)

the nearest free drop off sites are about an hour away...

My Brother is convinced that he read that it's safe to put down the sanitary sewer, that the treatment plants are set up for it.
I am not so convinced.
also I am on a septic system. He's on the public sanitary system, and put his down the drain when he did his Dakota last summer, but...I'm not comfortable doing so.

any suggestions? should I just start Cold calling local mechanics?
 
flush down the toilet/sink if you are on city sewer is fine.

Since you arent.. take it over to his house with a 6pack or something.

I tried and tried to get rid of mine. disposal place was open 4 hours 1 day every other week.

Yep City sewer is fine.(actually it is you can google it)
 
Originally Posted By: Miller88
It apparently is good for the sewer system - a lot of towns will say to dispose of it in the sanitary NOT storm sewer.
obviously not the storm sewer, those drain directly into the rivers/streams
 
My city says to put it down the drain, so down the drain it goes. I would not do that if I was on septic + well like my parents.
 
My town has a waste antifreeze drum next to the waste oil drum.
 
well I'll be a monkey's uncle!
found this right on the Ohio EPA website!:
"The hazardous chemicals in antifreeze can be broken down in most sewage treatment plants. If you
cannot recycle the antifreeze and your home is connected to a sanitary sewer system you may flush used anti-
freeze from your automobile down the toilet or sink. Be sure to wash it down the drain with plenty of water."

http://www.epa.ohio.gov/portals/34/document/guidance/gd_615.pdf

Them I'll Believe, over my brother saying " I Think I remember reading, etc..."
 
yup, I went through this desperately trying to recycle as they demand of everything. Then turns out no one would take it! Then looking on the city's website they stated what earlyre above my post said! crazy but true!
 
Originally Posted By: researcher
yup, I went through this desperately trying to recycle as they demand of everything. Then turns out no one would take it! Then looking on the city's website they stated what earlyre above my post said! crazy but true!
It's true in my area too. I'm not sure why but the minute you mention coolant, it's like it's radioactive, nobody wants anything to do with it.

It's a shame too because its components are derived from petroleum, it's a non-renewable resource. As far as I'm concerned they should make this just as easy to recycle as oil. I hate the idea of it going to waste instead of recycling.

The components of coolant (like ethylene glycol) have a very short life in water and soil, especially when exposed to sunlight and then bacteria handle the rest. They're also water soluble. It's not anywhere near as bad as dumping used oil (which there's a special place in [censored] for people who do that).

https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/csem.asp?csem=12&po=4

Quote:
Ethylene glycol does not persist in large amounts in ambient air because breakdown is rapid (half-life in air is 8-84 hours). In environmental exposure situations, its low vapor pressure precludes substantial inhalation exposure at ambient temperatures, and its poor skin absorption prevents significant absorption after dermal contact. Ethylene glycol is miscible with water and will leach through soil to groundwater. It biodegrades rapidly in soil (half-life, 2-12 days). The half-life ranges from 2-12 days in surface water and 4- 24 days in ground water. Because it is not fat soluble and biodegrades rapidly, bioconcentration and bioaccumulation are insignificant (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 1997).
 
"Ethylene glycol does not persist in large amounts in ambient air because breakdown is rapid (half-life in air is 8-84 hours). In environmental exposure situations, its low vapor pressure precludes substantial inhalation exposure at ambient temperatures, and its poor skin absorption prevents significant absorption after dermal contact. Ethylene glycol is miscible with water and will leach through soil to groundwater. It biodegrades rapidly in soil (half-life, 2-12 days). The half-life ranges from 2-12 days in surface water and 4- 24 days in ground water. Because it is not fat soluble and biodegrades rapidly, bioconcentration and bioaccumulation are insignificant (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 1997"

Antifreeze contains about 5% additives. The above quote addresses the glycol component only. Are these additives of concern?
 
Originally Posted By: NoNameJoe
It's true in my area too. I'm not sure why but the minute you mention coolant, it's like it's radioactive, nobody wants anything to do with it.



Same - no one will take it around here. The county dumps wont take it. Any place that takes oil won't take it.
 
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: NoNameJoe
It's true in my area too. I'm not sure why but the minute you mention coolant, it's like it's radioactive, nobody wants anything to do with it.



Same - no one will take it around here. The county dumps wont take it. Any place that takes oil won't take it.


Advance Auto stores around here accept engine coolant.
 
The transfer station in my town used to take it, along with used oil. A few months ago they stopped accepting both.
mad.gif
I now take my used oil to Autozone or O'Reilly's, but have to find someplace else for coolant. There's a hazardous waste place about 12 miles away, but they're only open on Saturdays for 3 hours, and only between May and October!
 
Originally Posted By: willbur
"Ethylene glycol does not persist in large amounts in ambient air because breakdown is rapid (half-life in air is 8-84 hours). In environmental exposure situations, its low vapor pressure precludes substantial inhalation exposure at ambient temperatures, and its poor skin absorption prevents significant absorption after dermal contact. Ethylene glycol is miscible with water and will leach through soil to groundwater. It biodegrades rapidly in soil (half-life, 2-12 days). The half-life ranges from 2-12 days in surface water and 4- 24 days in ground water. Because it is not fat soluble and biodegrades rapidly, bioconcentration and bioaccumulation are insignificant (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry 1997"

Antifreeze contains about 5% additives. The above quote addresses the glycol component only. Are these additives of concern?

I'm no expert but the research I did on the remaining stuff didn't seem bad either. For example phosphates (which in small amounts improves growth) and silicates are harmless in small quantities and the organic acids I looked up all had less than ten days of half-life before degrading.
 
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Same - no one will take it around here. The county dumps wont take it. Any place that takes oil won't take it.


Used oil is like scrap metal...it always has value, and any place that collects it sells it.

Used coolant has no resale value.
 
Originally Posted By: exranger06
The transfer station in my town used to take it, along with used oil. A few months ago they stopped accepting both.
mad.gif
I now take my used oil to Autozone or O'Reilly's, but have to find someplace else for coolant. There's a hazardous waste place about 12 miles away, but they're only open on Saturdays for 3 hours, and only between May and October!


that's pretty much how it is here, only April-Nov, but instead of having Very SLIM posted weekly hours, you have to call and make an appointment. no appointment, your stuff will not be accepted. and if you just leave it there, without an appointment, they have everything on camera, and WILL prosecute you for dumping HAZMAT.....

oh, and if you can get an appointment, they Charge you a disposal fee of $1/LB...
 
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