I live in the country, there are no places to recycle it. I dont want to pour it where animals can get poisoned, and dont want to pour it down the septic tank. What can I do with it? If I did a hole and pour it in, will it break down over time? I dont know what else to do with it.
I bring mine, as well as used motor oil, to any local gas/service station. They all have tanks for both. In my area it's actually a law that they have to take it
Some service stations will take it. If you did not buy it there, they may charge you. Check where you bought the replacement stuff.
or
Visit a friend with a sew connection.
From the Colorado Dept. of Health Flushing used antifreeze down the drain is the least-preferred disposal option, but it may be the only option available in some areas. Your wastewater treatment facility should be contacted to ensure that they can accept the waste prior to using this method.
Although antifreeze is biodegradable, households on septic systems should NOT dispose of antifreeze down the drain. If your home is connected to a septic tank, give this product to someone who is connected to a municipal sewer system. Even in a diluted form, antifreeze can overwhelm and destroy the bacterial action in your septic system and drain field.
Procedures include:
Provide adequate ventilation by opening windows and doors and/or turning on a room fan.
Carefully pour about 1 gallon of diluted antifreeze down the sink, flushing with large amounts of water. Failure to dilute antifreeze may damage pipes or other parts of your plumbing.
Continue disposing in 1 gallon batches until completely gone. Don't mix products, and wait several hours between disposing of different types of products.
The best time to do this is during the working day when the sewage system is in full use so that this material passes through the municipal sewage system faster.
These procedures are intended for small quantities of used antifreeze from a household only.
How "country" country? The farm implement dealers will be bound to have waste collection as well as the local farmers' co-op distributorship (presuming they do fuel, etc., as well as simply grain, feed, etc.) even if the retail gas stations don't. Surely, however, there's at least one automotive dealership w/ a shop...
We save up in empty oil drums until get enough to make a special trip of disposal to be worth the effort which gets to be fairly infrequent since have gone to the waste oil heater that uses up most of the largest quantity of liquid, the used engine oil from the tractors.
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I'd google for hazardous waste recycling in the county or state. Or antifreeze recycling. Most places have some programs to get rid of it. Whether through auto repair shops, county facilities, etc Or call your local municipal works dept and ask.
Keep it in closed containers untill you head into the "city" where you CAN recycle it. Any garage will have a recycling facility.
Getting rid of used oil is never a problem. I use it to start fires in my trash burner or brush piles, same for starting fires in the wood stove. I also paint it on wood which will contact the soil, even the treated kind, to preserve the wood longer, and there are many more uses. It just gets used up around the farm. Heck, last summer I built some steps in front of a shed from recycled and untreated wood, and decided to prolong this lumber meant painting the entire steps with drain oil. Two coats later, I have well preserved steps with a decent looking brown color. that should last years.
Used Anti-freeze dont have any uses that I've found. Neither does used tranny fluid, even though that will burn, but it's not great for starting fires.
just spread it out on your gravel drive or gravel road. It's pretty much harmless.
Can't say for sure what independent shops do. I work fleet vehicle maintenance and we recycle ours. It is very cost effective and results in a savings compared to buying new antifreeze, especially when cost avoidance of hazardous material disposal is factored in. We have our own equipment at our larger location to recycle it ourselves, and our smaller locations use a vendor who has truck mounted recylcing equipment. Probably retail car repair shops could not sell recycled antifreeze to consumers, but maybe there are buyers for it who recycle and sell to fleets like mine or other buyers.
If the independents to get rid of it legally, they have to comply with applicable EPA and state regulations. I do know that in my own area, the state is relatively active in checking and enforcing compliance.
That's why Ed's site said ", but it may be the only option available in some areas. Your wastewater treatment facility should be contacted to ensure that they can accept the waste prior to using this method. "
That's why Ed's site said "Your wastewater treatment facility should be contacted to ensure that they can accept the waste prior to using this method. "
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