[turnipgreen]

Anyone who does their own maintenance have ideas on what to do with old antifreeze? We have plenty of options for motor oil around here, including curbside recycling, but I haven't the slightest when it comes to antifreeze.

 

[adam1991]

Your local service station will probably take that off your hands. Mine will, same as the oil.

I hear Jiffy Lube and places like that are happy to take it as well.

 

[Aardvaark]

We have a central county run re-cycling center that take just about any material including used motor oil, brake fluid and anti-freeze. We just have to deliver it in no-returnable containers. I use old gallon milk jugs. I make a run over there about once a year.
Have you inquired about a place like this around you?

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'02 Ody EX-L(Mods: still considering options).
'96 Maxima SE(Mods: FSTB, RSTB, RSB, Winter Blizzaks on GXE rims).
'87 Honda mower(No mods).

 

[turnipgreen]

After posting this I made a few phone calls. I first called our normal recycler, and they pointed me to the local landfill. Turns out they take antifreeze and any other household chemicals one Saturday a month. I'll try the local Jiffy Lube since it is much more convenient, but figured they wouldn't be as friendly to someone who always does his own work. Thanks for the replies.

 

[Jerry O1]

We have a local hazardous waste disposal site, which takes all sorts of chemicals once a month, as well. As far as going to a business and asking them to take your chemicals, I would not, unless I offered to pay for the service.

Jerry O.

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2001 Odyssey GG LX

 

[MikeH]

I flush my used antifreeze down the toilet.

 

[cmt4]

I've used two Jiffy Lube locations to dispose of my DIY waste. They both had a very nice, fenced area with containers for all sorts of car fluids. They provide it as a community service (and corporate goodwill)... maybe even some EPA subsidy (?). I've also used several local service stations... just buddy up to them and they will usually take your waste for free. I also use plastic milk gallons for all these fluids... they work perfect. You can also check with your local elevator company... they use old motor oil in some of their applications.

These companies need to start taking this stuff free-of-charge because people like MikeH exist (and I hope you were just kidding). If you don't give DIY's somewhere to go with this stuff for free, then you'll be drinking it in your water.

 

[accordian]

Maybe MikeH wasn't kidding. I few years ago, I called the EPA with this very question. They told me to first check with my local utility district, then if it's okay with them, dump the antifreeze down the sanitary sewer (flush it down the toilet). That's straight from the EPA. They said that most waste water processing plants can easily handle antifreeze. Did I get bad information from our government agency?

 

[soldbear]

No, MikeH wasn't kidding.

My local recycling center told me dumping used antifreeze in the toilet was OK. This does not apply to commercial shop, however.

-- Hoa


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GG '02 EX-L NAVI

 

[starlight]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by accordian:
Maybe MikeH wasn't kidding. I few years ago, I called the EPA with this very question. They told me to first check with my local utility district, then if it's okay with them, dump the antifreeze down the sanitary sewer (flush it down the toilet). That's straight from the EPA. They said that most waste water processing plants can easily handle antifreeze. Did I get bad information from our government agency?</font>

Most Anti-freeze is highly corrosive.

Perhaps the EPA guy you spoke to is a member of the Plumbers Union

Here is a link to a old usenet posting about antifreeze and its corrosive nature:

<url> <A HREF="http://groups.google.com/groups?q=antifreeze+corrosive&hl=en&selm=37ajmj%24t75%40styx.uwa.edu.au&rnum=2</url>" TARGET=_blank>http://groups.google.com/groups?q=antifreeze+corrosive&hl=en&selm =37ajmj%24t75%40styx.uwa.edu.au&rnum=2</url></A>



[This message has been edited by starlight (edited 01-24-2002).]

 

[accordian]

Wow! What a dissertation. If all that is true, then why does Honda recommend not changing the coolant/antifreeze/corrosion inhibitor stew until about 100K miles?

The part about a closed cooling system to prevent oxidation explains why European carmakers tend to use a fully pressurized system, with no "overflow" reservior common to US and Japanese makes. It would serve to minimize exposure of the antifreeze to air.

As far as corrosiveness to the plumbing, I don't think it's any more corrosive than anything else that gets flushed! Anyway, my sewer lines are all PVC. But the question remains: is disposing of this stuff in the sanitary sewer really the appropriate?

 

[starlight]

Perhaps the item of note is that NEVER flush bolied over anti-freeze in the toilet !!!

By the way, If you own your own septic tank, it will kill the microbes.