Where can I recycle coolant?

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mrdctaylor

mrdctaylor

Joined
Jun 5, 2003
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McGregor TX
Guys,

I drained/filled my coolant a week or so ago. I called O'Reilly and Autozone and neither take used coolant and neither had a suggestion on where to take it. Any ideas? I live in a small town and we don't seem to have an official reclamation program for it. I never have a problem getting rid of oil, but I don't know what to do with my coolant. Thoughts?
 
I have the same problem. My reclamation center is over 1 hour away (one way). There are some sites that recommend calling your sewage utility district and see if they allow antifreeze down the toilet. They have special treatment to remove it and it can be beneficial for them in small amounts.

Otherwise call some local repair shops and ask to use their used antifreeze tank. One of them will likely be eco friendly enough to not turn you away to only have you pour it in a scream or something. Not that you would do that but they can only guess.
 
Go to a small local repair shop with the old coolant in the back of your truck.NEVER call first,Just show up,and pull around back and ask one of the mechanics if they could help you dispose of it. Its worth a shot,where I live any local non-chain shop would be happy to take it,unless you show up every week or something crazy.
 
Originally Posted by danez_yoda
I have the same problem. My reclamation center is over 1 hour away (one way). There are some sites that recommend calling your sewage utility district and see if they allow antifreeze down the toilet. They have special treatment to remove it and it can be beneficial for them in small amounts.

Yeah actually they don't remove it, it gets processed like the rest of the waste stream. You are correct that it is beneficial and not harmful.

The City of Milwaukee (MMSD) allows disposal into the sanitary sewer system but encourages recycling at city collection centers. It must not be disposed of into the storm drains as that stream is not processed like sanitary waste.

All of the suburbs around Milwaukee have collection facilities which accept antifreeze.
 
Yeah, I've spent enough money with my local mechanic. I could probably take it to him. But heck, I'm actually a city councilman in our little town. I think I'll bring it up at our next meeting and see if I can't get something started. I can't be the only one with this issue. I just thought I might be missing something obvious like Walmart or something. I didn't call them, but I figured that if AZ and O'Reilly didn't take it neither would Walmart, but I guess that maybe they actually do this sort of work in their auto bays, so maybe they *would* take it. Who knows.
 
Originally Posted by kschachn
Originally Posted by danez_yoda
I have the same problem. My reclamation center is over 1 hour away (one way). There are some sites that recommend calling your sewage utility district and see if they allow antifreeze down the toilet. They have special treatment to remove it and it can be beneficial for them in small amounts.

Yeah actually they don't remove it, it gets processed like the rest of the waste stream. You are correct that it is beneficial and not harmful.


How is it beneficial? I'm curious and I may ask our city's water guy about it.
 
I work at one of the places you called that said they don't take it. But around here the dump has a hazardous waste acceptance program and they do take it so we send people there. Most people unfortunately just wait til we aren't paying attention to and leave the containers of coolant behind the store or come back at night. So it may or may not end up on the used oil tank...
 
I'd take it to the big city near us that does take coolant, but they require proof of citizenship--they only take it from people living in their city limits. :-(
 
Some recycling places take it and sometimes they have event locations where they take it. Health Dept should have info.
 
Originally Posted by mrdctaylor
How is it beneficial? I'm curious and I may ask our city's water guy about it.

It encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria in the processing system.

A lot of municipalities discourage the disposal into the sewer system because recycling is considered to conserve resources better, plus they don't know that the antifreeze is not contaminated with oil or other harmful substances.
 
I don't get why coolant is such a big deal considering all the other things that go into the water. If they can filter out vomit and other bodily fluids, then why not anti freeze?
 
Originally Posted by motor_oil_madman
I don't get why coolant is such a big deal considering all the other things that go into the water. If they can filter out vomit and other bodily fluids, then why not anti freeze?

They don't filter out vomit and other bodily fluids just as they don't filter out the glycol. All of those are processed by the sewerage district along with everything else.

It is the substances that either kill bacteria or interfere with some process such as flocculation that are the problem. This includes oils, greases and substances toxic to the type of bacteria used to process the organic waste.

Other "bad" things are paper products that don't break down and non-paper items included in the stream.
 
It's not a question of "filtering". It's a question of correctly matched chemical treatment. Don't be obtuse.

1) Go the small garage's recycling tank route.

2) I agree with showing up with neat bottles rather than calling first and asking permission.

3) Check with your county or town. They likely have "X number" of recycling days per year. Around me, tires are included; sometimes for free, sometimes for $1 each.
 
Junkyards or pick-n-pulls usually take coolant, some make sure you're not a mechanic (ie. not dumping the shop's coolant on them).
 
I called the biggest city close to me, and they only recycle antifreeze twice a year, Spring and Fall. Does not cost, but have to store it until the big recycle day.
 
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