Going to be flushing out my coolant at some point this fall but I have no clue what the disposal procedure is. I take my used oil to the local Jiffy Lube but have never seen anything for coolant.
Disposing of coolant
- Thread starter dparm
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From what I understand you can just pour it down the sink. It will break down in the local sewer system and sewage treatment plant.
I was taught in high school shop class that it does NOT get treated...
Call Chicago's water management department and ask them if it's OK to dump. I've heard a lot of the phosphate-free coolants are great for the digesters at water treatment plants.
Always check your local govt websites for this type of info. The OP location is Chicago so after a few minutes of googling, I found this site: http://www.epa.state.il.us/land/hazardous-waste/household-haz-waste/
In some areas, it's allowable to pour it down the drain, but not here. I bring it to one of the local marinas that has a coolant recycling container. My local AAP takes oil only.
Recycling is not for every community. Most smaller communities can not afford the upfront cost to start a recycling campaign, much less the population can't sustain it once it does get up and running. There is a lot of overhead with recycling to the point that it is simply economically not feasible.
Originally Posted By: Schmoe
There is a lot of overhead with recycling to the point that it is simply economically not feasible.
All depends on what you have to pay to get rid of your solid non-recyclable waste, which I'm sure varies regionally.
Around here, recycling definitely has its economic advantage, and everyone does it. Surrounding towns charge $3/bag for regular trash as a pretty strong incentive. Towns cooperate together to get better contracts for waste removal.
I felt wierd in Dallas, throwing beer bottles and newspapers in the regular old trash.
There is a lot of overhead with recycling to the point that it is simply economically not feasible.
All depends on what you have to pay to get rid of your solid non-recyclable waste, which I'm sure varies regionally.
Around here, recycling definitely has its economic advantage, and everyone does it. Surrounding towns charge $3/bag for regular trash as a pretty strong incentive. Towns cooperate together to get better contracts for waste removal.
I felt wierd in Dallas, throwing beer bottles and newspapers in the regular old trash.
Oh cool, it looks like there is a facility near my parents' house in the burbs. Thanks, all!
Be patriotic. Dump it on your Senators front lawn. John--Las Vegas.
I always pour it and my used oil into the storm sewer drain.
KIDDING.
For coolant, it gets flushed out of the car and down the toilet.
KIDDING.
For coolant, it gets flushed out of the car and down the toilet.
Check with the marina before using their container. They might be collecting only non-toxic "RV" anti-freeze. This is used in the water system and bilge of boats to prevent ice expansion damage.
Anti-freeze is generally safe to dump down a sanitary sewer system with a treatment plant. It shouldn't be put in a septic tank system or an untreated sewer system.
Advice you heard in your youth, or from someone repeating what they heard years ago, should be ignored. There was a big change in the U.S. around 1980 that required most houses to hook up to a municipal treated sewer system. Before that sewage rules were often as simple as "the pipe outlet has to be at least 50 feet from shore".
Anti-freeze is generally safe to dump down a sanitary sewer system with a treatment plant. It shouldn't be put in a septic tank system or an untreated sewer system.
Advice you heard in your youth, or from someone repeating what they heard years ago, should be ignored. There was a big change in the U.S. around 1980 that required most houses to hook up to a municipal treated sewer system. Before that sewage rules were often as simple as "the pipe outlet has to be at least 50 feet from shore".
Being that we keep a boat there, I do know from experience that they collect regular ethylene glycol antifreeze. Marine engines with closed cooling systems use the stuff too, as does their yard equipment. The non-toxic stuff can simply be dumped into the sewage system. Ours specifically states that they cannot process ethylene glycol antifreeze, however.
Originally Posted By: tmorris1
You could also leave it outside to thin out the stray cats and dogs.
...or those d****d gray, bushy-tailed tree rats that insist on using my cowling, wiper motor housing, and HVAC plenums as acorn vaults!!
You could also leave it outside to thin out the stray cats and dogs.
...or those d****d gray, bushy-tailed tree rats that insist on using my cowling, wiper motor housing, and HVAC plenums as acorn vaults!!
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