Used brake fluid storage and recycling

[GeneralEclectic]

A forum search turns up some information on this subject. There are many opinions, a few quotes from "experts", and a good bit of it is contradictory:

Here's one http://theoildrop.server101.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=16;t=001673 that says in part, "According to the company that helps many dealership stay in compliance on environmental issues, it is OK to dispose of brake fluid with used oil."

This one http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=16;t=001393 that says some recycling centers won't take it with oil.

Some competing opinions:
http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=16;t=001102

This one has some hints about dumping it down the municipal sanitary sewer system: http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=16;t=000105

So, does ANYONE have an authoritative answer about brake fluid recycling? I don't mean "here's what I do" kind of answer, there are already dozens of those in the referenced threads above and they're neither authoritative nor lead to a consensus. I mean someone in the industry who knows what they're talking about.

Also, how about temporary storage of used fluid? I'd like to put it in PETE soda bottles. As I understand the properties of brake fluid that unlike most petroleum products, it's water soluble and generally doesn't attack plastic. (But why does it damage paint so readily?)

 

[unDummy]

http://www.proviron.com/Proviron/prod/prod_recy.htm

Check with local laws. Around here, I can just take it to the local landfill as household hazardous waste. But, I usually dump it into my used oil/atf/psf bucket and send it to the recycler(powerplant as fuel oil).

http://rhodeisland.earth911.org/master.asp?s=loc&a=locator/840.asp

 

[GeneralEclectic]

Those are good references. Thanks. I wish our local governments here in PA were a little more progressive in offering hazardous waste disposal services. Most of them simply ignore the problems, consequently you find a lot of people just dump anything anywhere they feel like it, including down the sanitary sewers.

I'm in Northampton county. Last year we had a one-day county-side hazardous waste event. It got booked-up in a matter of hours. If I know our county government they won't want to have it again because too many people took advantage of it. That's the way they usually think.

 

[Winston]

California is very progressive regarding Household Hazardous Waste. They finally figured out the best way to keep people from dumping fluids was to provide a place to dump fluids for free. We have HHW centers in most of the larger couties.

 

[MarioT]

An article I've read lately about this subject:

http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/sub_care_sat/2063646.html

 

[Tosh]

Brake fluid is chemically very similar to anti-freeze, so treat it like that and not like petroleum products.